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?

BMP Trivia Question

The BMP handbook contains plenty of useful information including a helpful Culvert Sizing Chart. Using that chart, what size culvert would you need to drain a 50 acre tract that has medium soils and a slope greater than 15%?

Click on "comments" below and post your answers.

May BMP Q&A

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

Q:   I would like to know if there is any place that I can visit in person to see “on the ground” applications of BMPs?  I hear the term BMPs used a lot these days but I am interested in actually seeing how they are used.

A:   That is a really good question.  Many people hear the term BMPs and may have an idea of what they are but have never really seen them applied or applied correctly. 

Crushed concrete was used to stabilize this road providing access during wet months.

The Texas Forest Service established BMP demonstration areas during the mid 1990’s on the W. Goodrich Jones State Forest located in Conroe and the Kirby State Forest located between Kountze and Woodville. The purpose of these BMP demonstration areas was to give loggers, landowners, and general public a chance to see properly implemented BMPs.  Original demonstrations included a streamside management zone (SMZ), various types of stream crossings, and water control structures (i.e. wing ditches, open top box culverts, etc.). 

During 2005 the Texas Forest Service decided to remodel and update the BMP demonstration area on the Jones State Forest in Conroe.  Many of the original BMPs that were installed in the 90’s had deteriorated and were no longer visible.  Many of the original BMP demonstrations were renovated and new BMP demonstrations were added.  Renovation work consisted of remarking the SMZ, clearing brush away from culvert crossings making the culverts visible again, and replacing the existing signs with new ones which explain what BMP is being used and its purpose. 

A highway entrance using large rocks and timber mats was added showing how mud can be removed from tires before entering the highway.  Tracking mud onto the highway can cause the roadway to become slick making it hazardous for other motorists.  Also a flat rail car was placed across a stream demonstrating how it can be used as a bridge.  Sometimes a stream is too large for a culvert or other type of crossing and a bridge must be used and while there are several options a flat rail car can provide a sturdy and safe crossing alternative.  Another new demonstration is road stabilization using crushed concrete which will allow a road to be used during wetter months.  Also grass was planted along other roadways showing how seeding roads can prevent or minimize any erosion that may occur. 

The guidelines and recommendations for using BMPs can be found in the Texas Forestry Best Management Practices Handbook.  You can get a copy of the handbook by contacting your local Texas Forest Service office or view it online at http://txforestservice.tamu.edu/water.  For more information regarding the BMP demonstration area or BMPs in general please call me at (936) 639-8180

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

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:_________________________________________________


Click on "comments" below and post your answers.

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