BERKELEY SPRINGS, WV, Feb. 25, 2005 (PRNewswire) -- The International Bottled Water Association (IBWA) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Forest Service today unveiled a new educational conservation tool to promote awareness of the importance of healthy watersheds, and other vital information about clean water sources.
"Water ... Our Most Important Resource" is an interactive "flash" presentation explaining the hydrological cycle, the importance of forested watersheds, and environmental stewardship. It details how much water various commercial and public enterprises use, and outlines steps to protect and sustain water resources.
"Watershed management is the oldest and highest calling of the Forest Service," said Forest Service Chief Dale Bosworth. "As the Forest Service celebrates its centennial year, it remains committed to sustainable forest management and to working in collaboration with partners like IBWA in meeting that goal."
"This self-guided presentation provides the Forest Service and IBWA with an important tool to demonstrate their mutual commitment to protecting, sustaining and responsibly utilizing water resources," said IBWA President and CEO Joseph K. Doss. "Consumers, media and others interested in the environment, forests, ground water, watersheds, and bottled water will find this information refreshing as it delivers useful information in a fun, easy- to-navigate setting."
The presentation was officially launched during the 15th Annual Berkeley Springs International Water Tasting event. It is one of several joint projects conducted by the Forest Service and IBWA under a memorandum of understanding advocating environmental stewardship and responsible use of our natural resources.
The presentation can be accessed on the Forest Service's Cooperative Forestry website at www.fs.fed.us/spf/coop or on IBWA's website at www.bottledwater.org. To link to the presentation or order copies on compact disk, contact IBWA at 703-683-5213 x107.
Founded in 1958, the International Bottled Water Association is the authoritative source of information about all types of bottled waters. IBWA is committed to stringent US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and state standards for safe, high-quality water products and requires member bottlers to adhere to the IBWA Model Code, which mandates additional standards and practices. It's also a founding member of the International Council of Bottled Water Associations.
The U.S. Forest Service manages 193 million acres of forest and grasslands as well as the largest forestry research organization in the world, providing technical and financial assistance to state forestry agencies and private landowners.
###
