Q: I take pride in all of my harvesting operations and that I’m doing my part to protect water quality by implementing Best Management Practices (BMPs). However, it is not always easy dealing with landowners and conveying to them the importance of using BMPs and protecting water quality. Do you have any advice on dealing with these landowners and conveying to them the importance of using BMPs?
A: This is a tough problem that many loggers and contractors are faced with every day. Implementing BMPs is not only time consuming, but can also be costly. However, after looking at the advantages they provide, using BMPs becomes more appealing.
The
ultimate goal of BMPs is to provide us with clean water. There is a limited amount of fresh water
available for human consumption. This
supply is constantly declining due to our explosive population growth. We cannot afford to do anything that will
further reduce our water source.
Polluted water is very expensive to treat, causing our water bills to
rise.
In Texas, we are operating
under a non-regulatory BMP system. This
means that there are no laws mandating that we follow the recommended
guidelines. If we choose not to adhere
to these principles, then we might enter into a regulatory system. This type of situation would further infringe
upon private property rights, be more costly, and less efficient.
Erosion
control is also another important function of BMPs. Erosion can be very damaging to the
productivity of the site as well as the environment. This process removes valuable soil that is
necessary to grow quality timber. At the
same time site productivity is decreasing, there is also an increased risk of
sedimentation into our streams.
Wildlife
can also benefit from implementing BMPs.
Streamside Management Zones (SMZs) can provide habitat for many species,
including deer, birds, and squirrels.
They also function as travel corridors.
Water temperatures in streams are kept inside a constant range due to
the shade provided by the SMZ, maintaining aquatic populations of fish,
amphibians, and insects.
The
Texas Reforestation and Conservation Act of 1999 (SB 977) allows for a
financial incentive to using BMPs. This
legislation gives forest landowners property tax relief in special qualified
zones, such as SMZs and reforested acres.
Under this bill, a landowner would receive a 50% reduction in their
appraised value for these restricted use timberland zones.
* This article was published in the November 2006 issue of the Texas Logger
