Nonpoint Pollution | Success Stories | Forestry
Forestry Success Stories
Note: Highlighted projects are not necessarily funded by the Coastal Nonpoint Program nor do they necessarily represent projects that have been approved by NOAA and EPA to remove remaining conditions on state programs.
PROJECT DESCRIPTIONS
Alaska Implements Forestry BMP Monitoring Program: The state's Forest Resources and Practices Act requires timber operators to follow a suite of best management practices to protect water quality and to submit a Detailed Plan of Operations (DPO) before beginning harvest activities. Because forestry activities are one of the greatest sources of nonpoint source pollution in Alaska, the state has developed a comprehensive Forestry BMP Monitoring Program to determine the extent and effectiveness of BMP implementation. In 1996 the Division of Forestry, (DOF), in cooperation with the Department of Fish and Game and the Department of Environmental Conservation, began developing the monitoring program by first identifying which forestry BMPs are significant for preserving water quality and fish habitat. Once the DOF had developed a draft list of BMPs, they conducted an initial pilot study in southeastern Alaska to test out the BMP list and field survey protocols. After adjustments were made, DOF conducted its first extensive BMP survey throughout the southeastern forestry area in 1999, evaluating 38 BMPs over 4,605 acres, nearly 20% of the total acreage in DPOs. Subsequent audits were made in 2001. Harvest sites were randomly selected from the database of DPOs. To avoid large harvest units dominating the sample, the DOF broke large units down into smaller units so each unit would be approximately the same size. DOF inspectors found that timber operators were implementing 34 of 38 BMPs adequately (fully or partially implementing greater than 90% of the time). This allowed DOF to focus its outreach efforts and future site visits on the four BMPs that were not being implemented adequately. Recently, DOF has begun to expand the Forestry BMP Implementation Monitoring Program to all forestry lands within the 6217 boundary. Due to limited staffing, Alaska is unable to implement two rigorous monitoring programs as they designed originally. Therefore, instead of performing separate monitoring inspections, DOF is developing a more qualitative BMP score sheet that will be filled out during routine forest practices inspections. DOF inspects between 130-175 harvest units a year during its routine inspection program. The score sheet will monitor around 60 BMPs, focusing on those most important for water quality protection, but including more administrative BMPs, as well. With the new score card, timber operators will be provided with a copy of the monitoring form at the time of the site visit, providing instant feedback on the forestry stewardship. To facilitate BMP monitoring, DOF is also using sub-meter satellite imagery to evaluate the effectiveness of road closure and riparian buffer BMPs to determine if proper buffer widths are maintained and significant large wood debris remains. The images also allow DOF to establish GIS base maps that will allow DOF to track land slides and mass movement events over time and to evaluate the effectiveness of BMPs in preventing these events. The satellite imagery allows DOF to focus its inspection efforts in potential problem areas.