What is the prescribed width of easements for banks of arroyos, streams, esteros and rivers, and the shorelines throughout their entire length in forest areas?

• A. 40 m
• B. 20 m
• C. 60 m
• D. 50 m

Answer: (A)

Easement widths along banks and shorelines serve as a protective buffer for water bodies, helping to preserve water quality, stabilize banks, and maintain suitable habitat, while still allowing forest management activities and access for monitoring. In forest areas, forty meters is prescribed because it provides a solid balance: wide enough to keep riparian vegetation intact, reduce erosion, and filter runoff along the entire length of the watercourse, yet not so wide that it unduly constrains land use or forestry operations. The smaller option would not offer adequate ecological and protective function, while the larger options exceed what is typically necessary for this purpose in forest zones.