Professional Loggers Know BMPs

Are you considering a logger or operator to carry out a forest management activity on your property, but want to know if they have experience with Best Management Practices (BMPs)?

The Texas Forestry Association maintains a searchable online database of individuals who have received BMP training as part of the “Texas Professional Logger” program.

(click on the image below to access the online logger training database)

Why Should I Use a Pro Logger? 

Among other reasons, Pro Loggers have demonstrated consistently higher levels of BMP use. Since 1992, Texas Forest Service has been monitoring the use of voluntary Best Management Practices on forestry operations across East Texas. Each of the 8 rounds of monitoring that have been conducted to date have concluded that proper BMP use is significantly higher for loggers who are familiar with BMPs and/or who have attended formal BMP training. (TFS BMP monitoring reports are available here) 

What Training Do Pro Loggers Have? 

In order to become classified as a Texas Pro Logger, individuals must receive training in all of the following core courses: 

1. Best Management Practices - 8 hours 
2. Silviculture, Wildlife, Wetlands, Endangered Species, Invasives, Special Sites, Aesthetics - 4 hours 
3. Safety Training - 4-6 hours (must re-take every 2 years) 
4. Business Management - 4 hours 

Furthermore, in order to maintain their certification, Pro Loggers must attend a minimum of six (6) hours of continuing education training each year. The Texas Forest Service has developed several courses in BMPs that are available for continuing education training in the program.

For information on when training workshops will be held contact the Texas Forestry Association. 

How Does the Online Database Work? 

You can use the online database to search for the name of a Pro Logger, the company they work for, or where they are located (keep in mind that most contractors work across wide regions and are not necessarily restricted to the town listed as their location). Records for each individual will list their address information, training history, and indicate whether they hold a current Pro Logger Status – look for the Texas Pro Logger seal.

Tailgate Sessions Offered to Loggers

Texas Forest Service, in cooperation with the Texas Logging Council, recently piloted a new BMP training opportunity for logging contractors. The newly established “logger tailgate sessions” deliver concise, focused, onsite BMP training to loggers during active operations. Lunch is sponsored for the participating crews and attendees qualify for one (1) hour of continuing education credit towards the Professional Logger Certification program. So far, these sessions have been conducted for several Temple-Inland contractors.

“We feel this new training program will be extremely beneficial to Texas loggers. Not only does it provide a refresher of the BMPs, it enables attendees to ask specific questions regarding the situations they face on a daily basis. It also allows us to reach the entire crew with this message, not just the contractor or foreman” said Hughes Simpson, Water Resources Program Coordinator.

For more information on these tailgate sessions, or to schedule one for your crew, please call the Texas Forest Service at 936-639-8180.

Training Courses are Now Available Online

Do you want to test your forestry knowledge?  Obtain continuing education credits for the Texas Professional Logger and other certification programs?  Well you are in luck.  CFEgroup, a website designed to provide continuing education opportunities for the forest sector, can now be accessed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, adding a little convenience to your already hectic schedule. 

The first course to be offered is the Forestry BMP Refresher Course developed by the Texas Forest Service.  This module is approved for two (2) hours of continuing education credit for the Texas Professional Logger Program.  It reviews many of the fundamental aspects of using BMPs and their importance in protecting our water resources while minimizing erosion and sedimentation. 

To begin the online training, go to www.cfegroup.org and follow the directions on the screen. If you  have any questions or need technical support, please contact Eric Taylor at 903-834-6191 or eltaylor@tamu.edu.  Additional courses will be offered in the near future, so check back often.           

The Texas Water Source - September 2009

September Issue of the Texas Water Source Now Available

• BMP Educational Efforts in Texas
• Is Your Logger a “Pro?”
• Agency Spotlight: Overview of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality
• Complaints to TCEQ
• Giant Salvinia on Caddo Lake
• Your Local BMP Forester

August BMP Q&A

By: Chris Duncan, BMP Forester (Ret.), Texas Forest Service

Q: A few months ago you mentioned that there was a new logger training workshop focusing on forest roads. I have attended both the stream crossing workshop as well as the traditional BMP workshop several years ago. I would like to attend the new workshop when time will allow. In the meantime are there any pointers you could give my company in regards to forest roads?

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. We should be having another forest roads workshop in the near future. I would be glad to give you some helpful information in the meantime. Over the next few months I will talk about the planning, construction and maintenance of forest roads.

The planning process of any forestry activity is extremely important.  This stage allows you to layout your operations in the most productive, economical, and environmentally sensitive manner possible.  The time spent on planning road design and layout will prove to be invaluable to your business.  The following tools discussed below should be used when available, and are available for your use at little or no charge.

Aerial photographs can be extremely helpful in viewing the entire landscape before any work is done.  These tools can show you the location of existing roads, streams, structures, land uses, and even timber types.  It is important to remember that aerial photographs are a snapshot in time, and are only as good as the date they were taken.  This means that some features on a photo may change in the future, however roads and streams usually remain constant.  These photos are available at the Texas Forest Service, tax assessor’s office, and the Internet.

Topographical maps are also important to use during this process.  These maps show changes in elevation through a series of contour lines.  This can be helpful when laying out the road systems, estimating BMP costs, and avoiding wet areas and steep slopes. Blue line streams are also easily designated on these maps, taking some of the guesswork out of determining if stream crossings can be avoided.  You can obtain these maps from hunting stores, state and federal agencies, and the Internet.

Soil surveys are another tool that can provide a lot of information to contractors.  These books, published by the NRCS, classify the different soil types that are found in an area.  A general description of each soil type is included, along with many charts that contain more detailed information regarding flooding frequency, duration, equipment operability, and much more.  Knowing and understanding the soil type of the property that you are working on can be a tremendous help. For information about ordering or obtaining information about reference copies (CD-ROM or paper copy), contact: tx-nrcs-soils@tx.usda.gov. You can also get soil data from the Web Soil Survey website at: http://websoilsurvey.nrcs.usda.gov/app/HomePage.htm.

Of course nothing beats actually visiting the site in person!  Use the above mentioned tools to get an idea of what you may encounter at the site, and use that information to help you plan your road layout.

For more information on forest road and other BMPs visit the Texas Forest Service webpage at http://texasforestservice.tamu.edu/water, contact me at (903) 297-3910.

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

June BMP Q&A

By: Chris Duncan, BMP Forester (Ret.), Texas Forest Service

Q:  First I wanted to say that I attended the Forest Roads BMP workshop in Lufkin in May.  This was a very helpful workshop, and I know feel I have a better understanding of road BMPs and how to implement them.  Now for my question: I have been working for a Texas Pro Logger for about a year, and he always stresses the importance of BMPs during all phases of the harvest.  I guess what I would like to know is not why BMPs are so important, but where do they actually come from?  In other words, are these just a bunch of guidelines that where developed by loggers to help protect water quality, or are these “rules” that are handed down by a government agency or something?

A:  I’m glad you enjoyed the workshop and hope it gave you a better understanding of forest road BMPs.  We are having another workshop in June, and depending on how many loggers we have who are interested in the workshop, will probably be planning some more over the summer or in the fall.  I’m glad to here you work for a Texas Pro Logger.  They usually have many years of experience in the woods, and are a great source of knowledge.  To answer your question as to the source of BMPs, or why they were originated, I will need to explain some events from the past that have led to today’s Texas forestry BMPs.

The Clean Water Act (CWA) is the primary federal law in the United States that governs water pollution. In 1972, Congress passed a CWA act that focused mainly on point sources of pollution.  These sources were the easiest to identify and target for permitting and clean-up, since they can be easily traced to a pipe or other pollution “point” source.  Many thought that these were the major sources of pollution in our nation’s waterways, and that once they were under control our waterways should start to heal and the problem would be solved.  However, after most of these sources were under control, several studies showed that many of our waterways still had pollution problems.

In 1987, Congress passed another act amending the CWA.  This new act targeted non-point sources of pollution.  This act put the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in charge of all non-point sources of pollution to our waterways.  The EPA mandated that each State come up with either a voluntary or regulatory system for controlling and monitoring non-point source pollution.

In Texas, the Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board (TSSWCB) is the lead agency for the state’s agricultural and silvicultural non-point source programs.  TSSWCB receives funding from the EPA through Section 319(h) of the CWA.  In the late 1980’s and early 1990’s, TSSWCB put the Texas Forest Service (TFS) in charge of creating a set of voluntary guidelines for loggers, foresters, and landowners to follow which would help protect water quality during silvicultural practices.  The TFS, in cooperation with many members of the forestry and scientific community, created the Texas Forestry Best Management Practices guidelines.  These guidelines have been revised several times over the last decade to account for new silvicultural practices and new scientific information regarding BMP effectiveness.

I hope this short explanation answered your questions as to why we have BMPs and where they stem from.  For more information on BMPs visit the Texas Forest Service webpage at http://texasforestservice.tamu.edu/water, contact me at (903) 297-3910.

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

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