BMP Fact Sheets

Need Some Quick Info on Forestry Best Management Practices?


Texas Forest Service has several fact sheets available to help you understand various aspects of using Best Managment Practices during your forest operations. These are a great resources for landowners or land managers unfamiliar with forestry BMPs.

Topics include:

• BMP Guidelines Overview
• Forest Roads
• Reasonable BMP Expectations
• BMPs for Reforestation and Site Preparation
• Stream Crossings
• Streamside Management Zones 

August BMP Q&A

By: Chris Duncan, BMP Forester (Ret.), Texas Forest Service

Q:   I have a tract of timber which was clearcut last fall.  The logger who harvested the tract did a bang up job on installing necessary BMPs where they were needed.  My consulting forester has recommended that I conduct a site preparation burn later this summer to prepare the site for planting.  The tract has a stream on it that usually runs for about 3 months in a typical year.  Are there any special BMPs in regards to prescribed burning that should be implemented to ensure the water quality of the stream is not adversely affected?

A:   Glad to hear that you were happy with the job your logger did in implementing BMPs where they were needed.  Prescribed burning can be a beneficial management tool when used properly with trained personnel. Site preparation burns are often the hottest type burn and can remove a substantial amount of the surface organic material. This type of burn would have the greatest potential for increased surface runoff or soil erosion, particularly on steeper slopes.  Use the following guidelines to help reduce the risks to water quality and soil erosion on your tract.

Site preparation burning creates the potential for soil movement.  A significant amount of soil movement can be caused by the preparation for the burns, i.e., firebreaks. Firebreaks should have water control structures that divert runoff away from water bodies in order to minimize erosion.  Site prep burns on steep slopes or highly erodible soils should only be conducted when they are absolutely necessary and should be as "cold" as possible.  Stabilize and revegetate firelines, if needed, on grades in excess of 5% or areas subject to accelerated erosion or known sensitive areas.

Firelines should be constructed on the perimeter of the burn area and along the boundary of the Streamside Management Zone (SMZ). The purpose of protecting the SMZ from fire is to safeguard the filtering effects of the litter and organic matter.  All efforts should be made to minimize the impact from site-prep burning within an SMZ.  Firelines should follow the guidelines established for logging trails and skid trails with respect to waterbars and wing ditches, and should be only as wide and as deep as needed to permit safe site preparation burns.  Firelines which may cross a drainage should be turned parallel to the stream or have a wing ditch or other structure allowing runoff in the line to be dispersed rather than channeled directly into the stream.

Finally, make plans to maintain your firelanes after the burn has been completed.  Firelanes on highly erodible sites or other problem areas should be inspected periodically to correct erosion problems by installing dips, wing ditches, waterbars, etc. and/or by seeding.  Mowing, rather than blading, should be used to maintain firelanes in order to avoid exposing mineral soil to potential erosion.

For more information on forest road BMPs and other BMPs visit the Texas Forest Service webpage at http://texasforestservice.tamu.edu/water, contact me at (903) 297-3910.

* This article was published in the August 2010 issue of the Texas Logger

June BMP Q&A

By: Chris Duncan, BMP Forester (Ret.), Texas Forest Service

Q:   I have recently purchased a tract of land for timber investment which was clear-cut by the previous owner last February.  My forester suggested we mechanically “site prep” the land to get ready for planting early next year.  Are there any precautions we should take in relation to forestry best management practices?

A:   The major problems associated with site preparation involve soil erosion and potential sedimentation from runoff.  The primary factors contributing to erosion from runoff are percent of area with exposed soil, degree of slope, and soil type.  Remember the following points in order to protect your stream and roads during the site prep operation:

In General:

Conduct earth moving activities along the contour of the land

• The boundaries of all streamside management zones (SMZs) should be clearly defined before beginning site prep activities.
• Plan ahead to minimize disturbance from equipment within the SMZ.
• Avoid intensive preparation on steep slopes and on this or highly erodible soils.
• Ripping, shearing, windrowing, and mechanical planting should follow the contour of the land.
• Provide water outlets on bedded or furrowed areas at locations that will minimize soil movement. Discharge water onto a vegetated surface.
• All reasonable attempts should be made to stabilize and repair erosion resulting from site preparation operations.
• All reasonable attempts should be made to avoid damaging existing water control devices such as culverts, waterbars, and wing ditches. Damage to any existing water control structures should be repaired immediately.

If you are planning chemical preparation:

• Always read and follow all guidelines on the manufacturer’s label before applying silvicultural chemicals.
• Carefully plan the application to avoid direct and indirect entry of chemicals into streams and impoundments.
• Avoid applying chemicals to vegetation protecting eroded slopes, gullies, drainages, and other fragile areas subject to erosion.
• Use a spray device capable of immediate shutoff.
• Should a spill occur, shovel a dike around the spill.  Use an absorbent material to soak up the spill.  Keep all spill fluids from flowing into streams or other water bodies.  Some spills will require notifying appropriate authorities.
• Before disposal, containers should be rinsed three times and rinsate should be applied in spray form to the treatment area. All containers should be disposed of in accordance with Manufacturer’s recommendations.

If you have any questions about site preparation BMPs or BMP’s in general please feel free to call me at (903) 297-3910 or email me at cduncan@tfs.tamu.edu.

* This article was published in the June 2010 issue of the Texas Logger

BMP Informer - June 2006

June Issue of the BMP Informer Now Available

• Estimated Economic Impact from Timber Damaged by Hurricane Rita, Texas Forest Service
• Improving My Land - Site Preparation and BMPs 
• BMPs and Burning
• Best Management Practices Need to be Applied When Salvaging Timber Damaged by Hurricane Rita
• Looking for a Good Logging Contractor?

January BMP Q&A

By: Shane Harrington, BMP Forester, Texas Forest Service

Q:    I am gearing up to replant my tract after harvesting the timber last summer.  Currently I am in the planning process and trying to get my tract prepared to be planted.  I want to know if there are any precautions that I should take during the planting job related to the use of best management practices (BMPs).

A:    The onset of winter reminds us that it is once again time to start planting seedlings.  Reforesting tracts that have been harvested is important because it ensures that we are managing our forests on a sustainable basis and that future generations will have the same resources available to them that we do.  Just as important is remembering to implement BMPs during all aspects of the planting operation including site preparation. 

Remember these points when doing site preparation and planting:

In general:

• Mark boundaries of all streamside management zones (SMZs) clearly before site preparation activities.
• Plan ahead to minimize disturbance by equipment in SMZs.
• Site preparation activities should skirt SMZs and stream channels.  Any debris should be placed above the ordinary high water mark of any stream or body of open water.
• Any site preparation practices and planting should be done following the contour of the land.
• Avoid intensive site preparation on steep slopes and on slopes with thin or highly erodible soils. 
• Hand-plant excessively steep slopes and wet sites.

When using prescribed fire:

• Firebreaks should have water control structures (water bars, wing ditches, etc.) in order to minimize erosion.
• Burning in an SMZ reduces the filtering capacity of the ground covering.  Plan burns to minimize impacts on the SMZ.
• Avoid, when possible, site prep burns on steep slopes or highly erodible soils.
• Read and follow manufacturing labels on containers.

When using chemicals:

• Carefully plan application to avoid direct and indirect entry of chemicals into streams and impoundments.
• Avoid applying chemicals to vegetation protecting eroded slopes, gullies, drainages, and other fragile areas subject to erosion.

Remember that the sustainable management of your timber includes the proper use of BMPs to protect the quality of our valuable water resources.  Additional information concerning BMPs and site prep/planting jobs can be found in the BMP bluebook or by visiting our website at http://txforestservice.tamu.edu/water.  If you have any questions regarding BMPs please call me at (936) 639-8180. 

* This article was published in the January 2005 issue of the Texas Logger

BMP Informer - July 2004

July Issue of the BMP Informer Now Available

• BMPs and Burning
• BMP Guidelines and Vendor Information
• Improving My Land - Woods Road Maintenance
• Timber Thieves Don’t Use BMPs!
• BMP Virtual Tour on TFS Website
• Looking for a Good Logging Contractor?

October BMP Q&A

By: Jake Donellan, BMP Forester (Ret.), Texas Forest Service

Q:   I recently got a chemical applicator’s license and plan on offering chemical site preparation to landowners as part of my service. I don’t have a pilot’s license, so all of the site prep will be done from the ground with an ATV and a skidder modified for chemical applications. Are there any special BMPs that I need to follow when I spray?

A:   As many of you probably guessed, there is a section in the Bluebook that deals the application of silvicultural chemicals. Silvicultural Chemicals are addressed in section 8.0 and begin on page 24 of the Bluebook. This section provides information on both ground and aerial application of chemicals.

The first thing you want to do is to familiarize yourself with the chemical’s characteristics. You should read the label and the Materials Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) for the chemical you are working with and follow all instructions. The next part of the planning process is to be familiar with the topography, soils, and drainage pattern of the land you will be working on in addition to any other factors that might be important for preventing water pollution during application.

You need to inspect your equipment for leaks. Leaks can lead to areas of high concentration of the chemical you are using and present a danger of direct chemical application into surface waters.

During ground application, carefully plan applications to avoid direct and indirect entry of chemicals into streams and other impoundments. Use extreme caution in areas immediately adjacent to open water. Special care should be taken when chemicals are used in the streamside management zone (SMZ). Avoid applying chemicals to vegetation protecting eroded slopes, gullies, drainages, and other fragile areas subject to erosion. Exercise care not to exceed intended or allowable dosages. Avoid chemical application during windy conditions that may cause unintended drift.

Aerial application guidelines are very similar to those of ground application. When conducting an aerial application you should also carefully plan application to avoid direct and indirect entry of chemicals into streams and other water bodies. Leave well-marked buffer zones between the target area and surface water. Realize that significant portions of the SMZ will probably be left untreated. Chemicals should not be applied when stream pollution is likely to occur through aerial drift. A spray device capable of immediate shutoff should be used. Shut off chemical application during turns and over open water.

During any type of application of chemicals, should a spill occur, shovel up a dike around the spill. Use absorbent materials (kitty litter, slaked lime, sawdust, soil, etc.) to soak up fluids. Keep the spill from flowing into streams or bodies of water. Some spills will require that you notify the appropriate authorities.

You can get a copy of the Bluebook at your local Texas Forest Service office or you can view it online at http://txforestservice.tamu.edu/water. If you have any questions regarding BMPs please contact me.

* This article was published in the October 2003 issue of the Texas Logger

August BMP Q&A

By: Hughes Simpson, BMP Forester, Texas Forest Service

Q:   My company is interested in getting involved in the business of applying silvicultural chemicals to forestlands. We have already implemented Best Management Practices (BMPs) on our logging operations and would like to do the same for this new service we are offering our clients. Does the Texas Forest Service have any recommended guidelines for the application of silvicultural chemicals, and if so, what are they?

A:   We sure do! The use of silvicultural chemicals can be very important in establishing new pine plantations as well as releasing mature ones to jumpstart their growth. In Texas alone, more than 250,000 acres of commercial timberland were sprayed last year. As more landowners learn about the benefits of these chemicals, there is a greater responsibility to ensure that water quality will be protected.

The Texas Forest Service has published guidelines that cover the handling and application of silvicultural chemicals in the Texas Forestry Best Management Practices – Bluebook. These recommendations are designed to prevent the direct or indirect application of forest chemicals to open water sources.

The first step in following BMPs when applying herbicides or fertilizers is the planning and information stage. Read all of the manufacturer’s labels for the chemicals that you will be using. It is important to know the chemical properties of these compounds. Certain chemicals react differently when they come in contact with soil or water. Other factors to consider in this step are topography, location of water sources, weather, and treatment area. Unfavorable weather, such as high winds, can lead to aerial drifts into sensitive areas.

The water used for mixing chemicals should be carried to the field in water-only tanks. Adding chemicals to this should be done only at the application site and away from any water sources. If a spill occurs, quickly shovel a dike around it and use absorbent material. This will soak up the fluid and prevent it from flowing into bodies of water. Always notify the proper authorities during these situations.

Leaving well marked buffers, or SMZs, between open water and the treatment area will prevent the entry of chemicals into waterways. It is also important to have a spray device that is capable of immediate shutoff without any dripping. Erosion sensitive areas (steep slopes, gullies, or drainages) should be avoided when applying herbicides.

Triple rinse all chemical containers before disposal. Pour this diluted solution back into the mixing tank so it can be applied to the treatment area. It is important to follow all of the manufacturer’s recommendations regarding cleanup and disposal of materials. If you have a question regarding BMPs, please call me at (936) 639-8180.

* This article was published in the August 2001 issue of the Texas Logger