Q: Last month I addressed the overall results of the most recent Texas Forest Service BMP Implementation Monitoring report that was released in December 2008. This month I would like to address the areas in which deficiencies were seen. Next month I will address the areas in which improvements were made.
A: In case you missed it the Texas Forest
Service completed its seventh round of BMP Implementation Monitoring and
released a report in December 2008 detailing the results of the
monitoring. The Texas Forest Service
conducts these monitoring rounds approximately every two years in an effort to
demonstrate how well BMPs are being implemented on silvicultural operations
here in East Texas. During the Round 7
monitoring two major deficiencies were noted: 1) failure to remove and
stabilize stream crossings on temporary roads (temporary stream crossings) and
2) inadequate Streamside Management Zones (SMZ) widths along intermittent and
perennial streams.
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| Temporary crossings should be removed and restored following use |
The second deficiency that was identified during Round 7 was
inadequate SMZ widths along intermittent and perennial streams. The BMP Bluebook states that an SMZ should be
left along all perennial and intermittent streams and should have a minimum
width of 50 feet and retain a minimum of 50 square feet of basal area per acre
evenly distributed. During Round 7, SMZs
had an overall implementation rate of 82% while SMZ width and thinning
guidelines (there are eight criteria evaluated for SMZs) had an implementation
rate of 66% and 80% respectively. While
most SMZs evaluated during Round 7 met the guidelines regarding thinning within
an SMZ most of the SMZs evaluated did not meet the width requirement especially
on intermittent streams. Streamside
management zones are extremely important in slowing down runoff and overland
flow reducing the chances of sediment or other contaminants reaching the stream. Also SMZs are important in preventing thermal
changes in the stream and are beneficial in providing travel corridors and
habitat for wildlife. Additionally,
provisions in Senate Bill 977 provide property tax incentives for leaving SMZs
along streams. Contact your local Texas
Forest Service office for more information.
Improvements were also noted during Round 7 compared to
previous rounds and next month I will address the areas in which increased
implementation was seen. To view the
full 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 March 2009 issue of the Texas Logger
