Best Management Practices

What are BMPs?stream.jpg (53722 bytes)

Best Management Practices, or BMPs, are good forest stewardship practices to follow during forestry activities to protect the water quality of nearby streams, lakes, or ponds. They are set at the state level and may be mandatory or voluntary, depending on state law. Common examples of BMPs to protect water quality are:

  • erosion control measures on roads and skid trails, such as culverts, broad-based dips, and water bars;
  • vegetated buffer strips, or "streamside management zones," along streams, lakes, and wetlands;
  • guidelines for stream crossings to minimize environmental impacts; for example, crossing streams at right angles, using portable bridges, and using culverts;
  • recommended practices for harvesting to protect sensitive areas, for example to minimize soil rutting by using high-flotation equipment or using mats on skid trails;
  • recommended practices for site preparation for reforestation, matching techniques with soils, slope, and ground cover on each site;
  • guidelines for safe and effective pesticide use; for instance, leaving untreated vegetated buffer strips around water and property boundaries;
  • control of waste disposal on forest lands; for example, servicing equipment away from wetlands and picking up trash.

See Also......

squiggle.gif (79 bytes) Alabama's Best Management Practices for Forestry

squiggle.gif (79 bytes) Best Management Practices To Protect Water Quality

squiggle.gif (79 bytes) BMPs For Stream Crossings

Questions or Comments? Contact PFMT.

Most Recent Revision: 09/20/06
Private Forest Management Team
Auburn University, Alabama