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
