New Brunswick’s forest is a forest of rivers: the Restigouche, the Miramichi, the Petitcodiac, and the St. Croix come to mind. As forests help regulate the flow of rivers, conserve topsoil and cycle nutrients, their removal or simplification can have significant impacts on these processes and therefore our river ecosystems. Much emphasis has been placed on maintaining intact forest along our rivers and streams as buffers against the rapid run-off, soil erosion and nutrient loss that can happen in a clear-cut.  By leaving an intact forest after harvesting, low impact forestry actually conserves the water source, which protects the watercourse.