March BMP Q&A

By: Shane Harrington, BMP Forester (Ret.), Texas Forest Service

Q:   Almost six months ago Hurricane Rita passed through East Texas destroying homes, businesses, and forestlands. Most people have rebuilt their homes and businesses but people such as me are still trying to salvage what is left of their forestlands. I fear that time is growing short for me to salvage my timber. Since time is of the essence do I still need to follow BMP guidelines when I am trying to get the timber out as quickly as possible?

A:   Great question.  Timber can sustain a lot of damage from events such as hurricanes, wildfires, and Southern Pine Beetle outbreaks.  Hopefully we will not have to deal with another hurricane here in East Texas but there is always that possibility.  However, if you find yourself conducting a salvage operation after such an event BMPs should be implemented just as if it were a normal harvest operation. 

Generally there is a sense of urgency when it comes to harvesting timber in a salvage operation because damaged trees are more susceptible to insects and disease, lowering their economic value.  It is still important to implement BMPs during these situations.  BMPs are effective in preventing or reducing erosion, allowing your land to be managed in a sustainable manner.    Following are a few recommendations to consider while conducting a salvage operation.

Prior to the salvage operation, the ground should be inspected to ensure that it is stable enough to support heavy machinery.  Often times after an event such as a hurricane, tropical storm, or even an East Texas thunderstorm, the soil is saturated and operating heavy machinery on these soils can cause rutting.  Rutting creates channels for water flow, which can lead to widespread soil movement.  This reduces site productivity, decreases tree growth and financial returns, and impacts water quality.  Firelanes installed to control wildfires should be cleaned up and stabilized with the proper water control structures to prevent additional erosion. 

Streamside Management Zones (SMZs) should be visibly marked and all operations within the SMZ should be kept to a minimum.  It may be necessary to flag the SMZ for greater visibility, because it is sometimes difficult for machine operators to see the original painted line with the additional debris on the ground.  All roads, skid trails, decks, and firelanes should be located outside the SMZ.  Removal of any felled timber within the SMZ should be done by dispersed skidding or by cable retrieval.  This is done to prevent damaging the filtering capabilities of the SMZ and to keep the forest floor virtually undisturbed.  Remember, even in salvage operations, 50 square feet of basal area should be left in the SMZ.  Try to leave trees that have not been too severely damaged.   

Personal safety should also be stressed when conducting a salvage operation.  Treetops and limbs may be left dangling above the ground and could cause serious injury to ground personnel.  It is also important to be aware of machine operators, especially when visibility is impaired from excessive debris.

For other recommendations regarding BMPs and salvage operations please refer to the Texas Forest Service BMP Bluebook.  If you do not have a copy of the Bluebook you can obtain a copy from your local Texas Forest Service office or online at http://txforestservice.tamu.edu/water.  If you have any questions or comments regarding BMPs please call me at (936) 639-8180.

* This article was published in the March 2006 issue of the Texas Logger

BMP Trivia Question

Firelines and firelanes are important firefighting tools that create a break in the forest (the fuel for a wildfire) to prevent the spread of a fire. These areas are typically cleared down to the mineral soil, thus leaving them vulnerable to erosion which could be washed into local water resources. According to the glossary located in the back of the BMP handbook what is the definition of a fireline and firelane? (Try to define both words)

Fireline:_________________________________________________

Firelane:_________________________________________________


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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

December BMP Q&A

By: Shane Harrington, BMP Forester (Ret.), Texas Forest Service

Q:    I heard the Texas Forest Service recently completed another round of best management practices (BMP) implementation monitoring.  How well are we implementing BMPs on silvicultural operations and are there any areas that still need improvement?

A:    Last time I addressed the BMP implementation rates for each landowner category as well as the overall BMP implementation rate for the Round 6 BMP Implementation Report.  This month I would like to address the areas in which we had improvements and some areas that still need improvement.

There were three areas in which we saw major improvements from previous rounds.  The three areas where we saw major improvements were the increase in the rate of BMP implementation on family forest lands, a higher overall rate of BMP implementation on permanent and temporary roads, and a decrease in the incidences of significant risks to water quality.  As stated in last month’s article, Family Forest Owners achieved an all time high with an 88.7% BMP implementation rate.  This means that landowners are becoming more familiar and educated about BMPs. 

The increase in implementation on permanent and temporary roads can be attributed to roads being properly placed and water control structures (i.e. waterbars, wing ditches) being used.  This is a major improvement because 90% of all sedimentation that occurs on a tract comes directly from runoff from the roads.  By properly placing roads and using water control structures, sedimentation is less likely to occur. 

The last area, which can be directly related to the previous two improvements, is the decrease in the number of significant risks to water quality.  A significant risk to water quality exists if, during a normal rainfall, sediment is likely to be delivered to a permanent water body.  A permanent water body is defined as any blue line stream (i.e. perennial and intermittent streams) or lake. Significant risks to water quality can be avoided by making sure that roads are properly stabilized, stream crossings are restored and stabilized, and that there is an adequate SMZ.

There were two major deficiencies noted during the evaluations: failure to restore and stabilize stream crossings on temporary roads and failure to remove logging debris from streams.  Once a stream crossing is no longer needed, the crossing should always be removed immediately and the approaches and stream banks should be stabilized and restored to prevent any soil from moving into the stream.  Care should always be taken while operating near a stream or within an SMZ to ensure that logging debris does not end up in the stream.  Any logging debris should be removed immediately from the stream to prevent blocking the natural water flow of the stream and to prevent any sediment from entering the stream.

Overall a good job is being done implementing and adhering to Texas BMP guidelines as shown by the 91.7% BMP implementation rate for Round 6.  This is the highest BMP implementation rate that the Texas Forest Service has ever seen. Hopefully in the future there will be a continued improvement of the BMP implementation rate.  Remember that one way to continue to improve is to recognize the importance of using BMPs to protect water quality by treating each site as if it will be evaluated.   

A copy of the Round 6 Voluntary Implementation of Forestry Best Management Practices in East Texas report can be obtained by visiting the Texas Forest Service website at http://txforestservice.tamu.edu/water.  For further information regarding the Round 6 BMP implementation report or BMPs in general please call me at (936) 639-8180.

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

BMP Trivia Question

Road surfaces can be one of the most predominant sources of sediment from a forest operation. These areas of bare ground are exposed to the pounding of vehicular traffic and the erosive forces of weather. To prevent road surface erosion that could lead to sediment being transported to local water resources it is critical that road surfaces be well drained using various BMPs designed to divert water off the road. Can you list three water control structures that can be used to divert water off roadways and skid trails to prevent or at least minimize erosion?

1.)
2.)
3.)

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October BMP Q&A

By: Shane Harrington, BMP Forester (Ret.), Texas Forest Service

Q:  I heard the Texas Forest Service recently completed another round of best management practices (BMP) implementation monitoring.  How well are we doing at implementing BMPs on silvicultural operations and are there any areas that still need improvement?

A: This month I will address the BMP implementation rates for Round 6.  Next month I will address areas where we had major improvements and areas needing improvements.

The Texas Forest Service BMP Project office recently finished its sixth round of BMP implementation monitoring.  Every two years since 1991 the Texas Forest Service randomly selects and evaluates silvicultural operations in East Texas for the implementation of BMPs.  This system of monitoring is a voluntary system between the Texas Forest Service and the landowner.  Only tracts where permission has been granted by the landowner are evaluated.

Between May 2003 and July 2005 a total of 156 sites were chosen and evaluated for the implementation of BMPs.  All tracts selected had some type of silvicultural operation conducted on them during this time period.  Tracts were selected among family forest owners (listed as NIPF owners in previous rounds), corporate landowners (commercial landowners that do not have wood processing facilities), forest industry, and public lands (national and state forestlands). 

The overall BMP implementation rate increased from 91.5% in Round 5 to 91.7% in Round 6.  Family forest owners had the lowest implementation rate at 88.9%.  Although this was the lowest implementation rate among the landowner categories, it was an all-time high for family forest owners.  Corporate landowners had an overall implementation rate of 96.0% while forest industry had a rate of 95.7%.  Implementation was generally highest on sites under public ownership.  These national and state forestlands sites had an implementation rate of 98.3%. 

Landowners and loggers continue to do a good job of implementing BMPs on their operations and, hopefully, in the future we can see a continued improvement of the BMP implementation rate.  Remember that one way we can continue to improve is to recognize the importance of using BMPs to protect water quality by treating each silvicultural operation as if it will be evaluated. 

You can obtain a copy of the Round 6 Voluntary Implementation of Forestry Best Management Practices in East Texas report by visiting our website at http://txforestservice.tamu.edu/water.  If you have any questions regarding the Round 6 BMP implementation report or BMPs in general please call me at (936) 639-8180.

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

September BMP Q&A

By: Shane Harrington, BMP Forester (Ret.), Texas Forest Service

Q:   I am a landowner here in East Texas and I like to use aerial photographs to help me manage my property.  Aerial photographs help me determine and maintain access roads, boundary lines, and aid in planning harvest operations.  I have problems finding good quality and up-to-date photographs of East Texas.  I heard that the Texas Forest Service takes aerial photographs of East Texas and can provide landowners with copies.  Is this correct and if so how can I obtain a copy of my property?

A:   This is a great question and, yes, the Texas Forest Service has continued to take aerial photographs of East Texas since 1979.  These photographs are taken during the winter months after hardwood trees have dropped their leaves usually, December through the first part of March.  By taking photographs during the winter months ground features are  more recognizable and delineating pine and hardwood stands is easier. 

All Texas Forest Service District offices in East Texas maintain a set of 9x9 photographs covering the district.  Texas Forest Service personnel use these photographs for forest management work, forest fire control, southern pine beetle aerial surveys and ground detection, and other uses.  Each photograph has a scale of 1:15,840 (one inch on the photo equals 1,320 feet on the ground) and covers approximately 3,200 acres or five square miles.

Aerial photographs are a useful tool for any forest management activity.  These photographs can be used in conjunction with soil survey maps, USGS topographical maps, and on the ground reconnaissance to plan and execute any forest management activity.  Photos can aid in determining property and harvest boundaries, locating appropriate places to install access roads, marking streamside management zones, and protecting other sensitive areas that may be located on the property.

If you are a landowner and are interested in getting a bird’s eye view of your property visit your local Texas Forest Service District Office.  Personnel in these offices can assist you in finding the best photograph that covers your property or place of interest.  An order form for aerial photographs can be found online as well at http://txforestservice.tamu.edu/water and by clicking on the Forest Management tab located on the left side of the screen.  Here you will find a link to the order form.  Complete this form and mail it to the address listed on the order form.

Inquiries regarding aerial photographs should be directed to your local Texas Forest Service District Office but if you have questions regarding BMPs, please contact me by calling (936) 639-8180.   

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