Forestry best management practice: (noun) 1: a practice or combination of practices determined to be the most practicable means of preventing or reducing non-point source pollution to help achieve water quality goals 2: protecting and conserving forest resources and forest land productivity 3: also known as a "Forestry BMP"

Forestry BMPs include such things as protecting forest land from grazing, cleaning up log landings used for timber harvesting, installing waterbars on skid trails and protecting waterway and non-target vegetation from contact with pesticides. Simply put, BMPs are good forest conservation practices.

The major forestry BMP guideline categories are:

1) Forest Roads

2) Log landings

3) Skid trails

4) Stream Crossings

5) Riparian Management Zones

6) Handling fuels, lubricants and trash

7) Site preparation and Forestation (tree planting)

8) Woodland Grazing

9) Prescribed forest fire and wildfire suppression

10) Handling forest pesticides

11) Recreation trails

Forest Water Quality Goals

The watershed protection and water purifying values of forestland is well documented. The implementation of forestry BMPs can help meet state and local water quality goals. Forest water quality goals include: 1) to provide water of sufficient quality and protect existing and potential beneficial uses of that water; 2) to prevent water quality degradation that would cause significant environmental harm or erode the integrity of aquatic ecosystems; 3) to maintain waters of high quality (as recognized in Indiana codes) without degradation.

Non-point Source Pollution

Non-point source pollution is: 1) induced by natural processes, including precipitation, seepage, percolation and runoff; 2) not traceable to any discrete or identifiable facility; and 3) controllable through the use of BMPs.

Examples of NPS pollution include farm field runoff and runoff from forest harvesting operations. Soil or sediment is the most common pollutant found in this runoff; most BMPs are designed to minimize soil erosion and runoff.

Forest activities are considered a very minor contributor of NPS pollution. It is estimated that less than 5% of the state's sediment in waterways originates from forestland, even in heavily forested counties.

Committing to the Forests' Future

By the time you read this newsletter, the forest community's BMP guidelines will be completed, thanks to hundreds of hours devoted by many dedicated volunteers. A new BMP video on stream crossings will be completed, and several training sessions will have been completed with more implementing program under development to assist loggers in and perfecting BMPs on the ground.

The forest industry, forest owners, conservation groups and the forestry profession are to be commended for their diligent efforts to help make these guidelines voluntary and effective in protecting water quality and other forest resources. The guidelines are not perfect, but they are good! Over time the "bugs" will be worked out and improvements made. Implementing these guidelines will take some practice, training and personal commitment.

BMPs are a shared responsibility. Now forest landowners, loggers, buyers and foresters all must take this responsibility seriously and adopt forestry BMPs as standard operating procedures. Contact the Woodland Steward Institute or any of its member organizations for a handy pocket size field guide of INDIANA'S FORESTRY BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES (available in mid 1997).

BMP Development Process

In May 1994, the Woodland Steward Institute kicked off a project titled "The Forest Health Initiative" on the recommendation of the Indiana Forest and Woodland Owners Association. Two of the goals of the Initiative were: 1) to identify a set of forestry best management practices (BMPs) and 2) establish a voluntary program for their implementation.

A team of dedicated individuals with a common goal for long-term forest health and productivity was assembled to serve as the "Forest Practices Working Group". They represented a variety of interests and expertise; team members included forest owners, loggers, representatives of forest industry, foresters, the academic community, soil conservationists, wildlife biologists and members of local government.

The Forest Practices Working Group received training (field, classroom, independent study) on Indiana forest practices and activities prior to tackling the formidable task of drafting BMP guidelines.

The Group began by developing a set of criteria all BMPs must meet. BMPs must:

1 respect private property rights;

2 be practicable;

3 be consistent with pertinent laws;

4 be flexible where appropriate; 5 be socially acceptable;

6 be economical to implement;

7 address real, significant problems;

8 recognize equipment (technological) limitations;

9 be technically accurate; and

10 they must be effective.

The sub-committee that drafted the guidelines also used their technical knowledge, reference materials and BMP guides from other states to draft Indiana's BMP guidelines for review by the Forest Practice Working Group. Drafted guidelines were checked against established criteria, water quality goals and concerns of the group. This resulted in much discussion, debate and redraft recommendations; much of the debate was over grammatical concerns.