February BMP Q&A

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

Q:  Several months ago you wrote that the Texas Forest Service was conducting another BMP implementation survey.  I wanted to know if the survey has been completed and if so what were some of the results? 

A:  Yes, the Texas Forest Service recently completed its seventh round of BMP implementation monitoring. Since 1990 the Texas Forest Service has conducted this monitoring with the purpose of determining and showing how well landowners, foresters, and loggers are implementing these voluntary practices.  This month I will give an overview of the latest monitoring results and over the next few months I will go into more detail regarding the results.

Texas Forest Service monitored 152 sites representing 13,742 acres from June 20, 2007 to November 18, 2008.  Sites were chosen randomly throughout East Texas based on the annual harvest of each county and ownership group.  Also all sites chosen had some type of silvicultural activity conducted on them during this time period.  Four ownership groups were targeted, including public, industry, corporate (commercial landowners that do not have wood processing facilities) and private landowners.  Each landowner was contacted and only with landowner permission was the site monitored.

Public ownership had the highest rating (100%) in protecting water quality, followed by corporate (95.7%), industry (91.1%) and private landowners (88.7%).  Overall BMP implementation was 91.5%.  Ratings were significantly higher when:

• A professional forester was involved in the activity or sale
• The logger had attended the BMP training workshop
• he landowner was familiar with BMPs
• BMPs were included in the timber sale contract
• The landowner was a member of the American Tree Farm System
• The timber was delivered to a major SFI^® mill

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.  The basis for continued success in this project is education.  Significant improvement in BMP implementation has been noted since their development in 1989, largely due to the numerous BMP training workshops, seminars, and demonstration tours that have been conducted throughout the state.  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. 

Over the next few of months I will discuss areas in which improvements were noted as well as areas in which improvement is needed compared to previous monitoring rounds.  Also I will discuss each landowner category and break down their strengths and weaknesses.  To view a copy of the report titled “Voluntary Implementation of Forestry Best Management Practices in East Texas, Round 7” visit the Texas Forest Service webpage at http://texasforestservice.tamu.edu/water.  For more information regarding this report or BMPs please contact me at (936) 639-8180.

* This article was published in the February 2009 issue of the Texas Logger

BMP Trivia Question

Temporary stream crossings are used to gain vehicular access across a stream during a forest operation, without causing unnecessary or excessive impact to the integrity of the stream channel or water quality, and are promptly and completely removed after the operation is completed. Do you know what 2 pages in the BMP handbook specifically list these water crossing guidelines. (Hint: section 3 and section10).

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December BMP Q&A

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

Q:  I am interested in replanting my cutover timberland, but want to make sure that I follow all state recommended Best Management Practices.  Mechanical site preparation was done on the contour several months ago and the site is ready to plant.  What do I need to be aware of to ensure that water quality is protected during the planting operation?                 

A:  I am very glad to hear that you are interested in replanting your property.  This act of good stewardship will allow you to receive a better return on your investment and help satisfy the ever-increasing demand for forest products.  It will also aid in water quality protection.  Senate Bill 977 and other key legislation have developed tax incentives to encourage reforestation, so make sure you take advantage of these laws.  

The potential threat from erosion and sedimentation is not as great in planting operations as it is in mechanical site preparation.  A larger area is generally disturbed more intensively in the latter, therefore a higher risk to water quality is present.  Several factors can influence the magnitude of this risk, mainly the amount of exposed soil, degree of slope, and type of soil.   

Machine planting along the contour reduces erosion risks

Laying out your mechanical site preparation on the contour was an EXCELLENT thing to do!  This practice reduces the amount of erosion that can occur on a site, because it functions as a terrace.  When rainfall hits the top of a hill, the contours help slow down the runoff water.  This allows any sediment that has been eroded away from the hillside to be deposited before it can reach a waterbody. 

When planting, especially using a machine, it is important to continue to follow the contour of the land.  By not doing this, you are increasing the possibility of erosion that may occur.  Water will quickly flow down a furrow, washing out the soil in these rows.  Skid trails, temporary roads, and other woods roads that are no longer needed should be planted through. 

Streamside Management Zones should always be clearly designated so that they are protected from site preparation and planting operations.  These areas function as filters for streams and creeks, so minimal disturbance from equipment is recommended.

During these silvicultural processes, water control devices (culverts, waterbars, wing ditches, etc.) may become damaged.  It is important to avoid this if possible, but in the event that it occurs, repairs should be made immediately.  Reasonable attempts should be made to stabilize any erosion that results.   

Any trash (fluids, equipment parts, paper and plastic products, etc.) that is associated with these activities should be hauled to a legal waste disposal site.  Equipment fluids need to be caught in containers and disposed of in accordance with state and manufacturer regulations.  If you have a question regarding BMPs, please call me at (936) 639-8180

* This article was published in the December 2008 issue of the Texas Logger

BMP Effectiveness Monitoring 2008

Texas Forest Service BMP Effectiveness Monitoring Study Results Now Available 

Results from the Texas Silvicultural BMP Effectiveness Monitoring Project conducted between 2003 and 2007 are now available in a recently released report titled "Evaluating the Effectiveness of Texas Forestry Best Management Practices." This project was initiated to determine the effectiveness of BMPs in reducing nonpoint source (NPS) pollution from silvicultural activities in Texas. This report documents the findings of this 4 year long monitoring project.

Results from the project indicate that Texas forestry BMPs, when implemented properly, are effective in protecting water quality and aquatic biological communities, and further established that forestry BMPs are the optimum means for minimizing silvicultural nonpoint source pollution.

November BMP Q&A

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

Q:  I know that the Texas Forest Service conducts a BMP Implementation Survey every couple of years and publishes a report showing the results. I would like to know if there is any information on the South as a region and how the region as a whole is doing at implementing BMPs.  I know that other states do similar surveys and would just like to know if there is anything showing BMP implementation results on a regional basis.

A:  Great question! In 1997, a task force appointed by the Southern Group of State Foresters (SGSF) developed guidance to assist states in conducting BMP implementation monitoring.  This “Framework”, which was revised in 2002, was created to promote a consistent approach across the region, allowing monitoring results to be comparable among the states.  The SGSF could then compile results from conforming states and report BMP implementation across the region.  This “regional report” would identify BMP categories needing improvement that the Water Resources Committee could address through regional training, demonstration, and information exchange.  

In June 2008, the Water Resources committee released this report titled “Implementation of Forestry Best Management Practices - A Southern Region Report.”  This publication is the first in the nation to report BMP implementation on a regional level.

The report covers results from 25 statewide BMP implementation monitoring surveys conducted across the Southern region from 1997-2007.   Eleven of the 13 states in the region submitted data collected in conformance with the Framework, and thus were eligible for inclusion in this report.  The two remaining states plan to submit eligible data for the next reporting period.

The Framework calls for the evaluation of seven BMP categories: Harvesting, Site Preparation, Forest Roads, Stream Crossings, Streamside Management Zones, Firebreaks and Chemical Application.  Results from these categories, expressed as a percent, are compiled to determine Overall BMP implementation.

Overall Percent BMP Implementation by Category, Southern Region

Although the regional data identifies several BMP categories in need of improvement, an overall regional implementation rate of 87% is considered notable.  Likewise, “regional progress” has been made in most BMP categories since the Framework was initially published in 1997.  States reporting multiple surveys have shown increases in BMP implementation.  This is largely attributed to the numerous educational, outreach, and training efforts being conducted across the southern region by the states, and to the efforts of the SGSF via the Water Resource Committee.

This report is the first in a planned series to be published every 5 years.  The objective is to provide information at a regional level, for the purpose of continuously improving monitoring methods and BMP implementation, and to promote consistency among states in the southern region for this activity.  To that end, the report identified specific BMP categories (Firebreaks, Stream Crossings, and Forest Roads) the SGSF Water Resources Committee will target for improvement.  To view a copy of this report, visit the Southern Group of State Foresters webpage at www.southernforests.org

For more information on BMPs in Texas please visit http://texasforestservice.tamu.edu/water. 

* This article was published in the November 2008 issue of the Texas Logger

BMP Trivia Question

Basal area is a measure of forest density that accounts for the size of the trees. The higher the basal area in a forest, the higher the density of tree cover. Basal area is important to Best Management Practices because Streamside Management Zones (SMZs) need to have at least a minimum basal area of 50 square feet evenly distributed across their area to properly protect perennial and intermittent streams. According to the BMP handbook, what is the definition of basal area?

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September BMP Q&A

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

Q: Last month you wrote about the new logger training workshop focusing on stream crossings. I have attended both the new stream crossing workshop as well as the traditional BMP workshop several years ago. I wanted to know if there were any additional classes related to BMPs that I could take or even a refresher class?

A: Glad to know that you have attended both the BMP and Stream Crossing workshops. I hope that the information you learned at the workshops has benefited you on your logging operations since then. The Texas Forest Service along with the Texas Forestry Association are continuously working on new innovative workshops for loggers. 

The traditional BMP workshop was designed to educate loggers on the importance of using BMPs, as well how to implement them correctly on their operations.  , This workshop is one of five “core” classes that loggers must attend to gain their Pro-Logger status.  Since 1995, almost 3,000 loggers have attended the BMP workshop.  Data collected by Texas Forest Service shows that BMP implementation on logging operations has increased to 91.7% since the workshop was developed, an all time high.  This is a direct result of the training that has been provided over the past 13 years.

In 2007 the Texas Forest Service along with the Texas Forestry Association began offering a new workshop focused on stream crossings.  This course was developed to provide in-depth training on the design, layout, implementation, and remediation of stream crossings..  To date, five workshops have been held throughout East Texas with over 170 loggers attending.  While this workshop is not required to gain Pro-Logger status, it does offer loggers the opportunity to obtain their six hours of continuing education credits needed to maintain their Pro-Logger status.

In 2005 the Texas Forest Service developed an online BMP training course as a part of the Pro-Logger program.  This course is meant to serve as a refresher for the core BMP training workshop.  It reviews many of the fundamental aspects of using BMPs and their importance in protecting water quality, as well as highlighting some of the minor revisions that were made to the BMP guidelines in 2004.  This course also provides loggers with a lot of flexibility in obtaining their continuing education hours.  It can be taken at any time online by going to https://www.cfegroup.org/.  Participants will receive two hours of continuing education credit.

New BMP workshops are currently being developed and plans are to unveil one of the new workshops in 2009.  The newest BMP workshop being developed will focus on forest roads and how to properly install and maintain these roadways.  The main focus will be on how to prevent erosion from occurring on roadways and entering nearby water bodies.  Ninety percent of all sedimentation or erosion that occurs on logging operations can be attributed to the road system.  There are also plans to unveil another BMP workshop focusing on streamside management zones (SMZs).  For more information regarding current and future BMP workshops call the Texas Forestry Association at (936) 632-8733.  To obtain a copy of the BMP Bluebook or for more information regarding BMPs visit http://texasforestservice.tamu.edu/water.

* This article was published in the September 2008 issue of the Texas Logger