Best Management Practices - Wyoming State Lands

Remastered with permission from Montana State UniversityExtension Forestry.Adapted and remastered for Wyoming State Forestry Division &Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality byPafti, Inc.P.O. Box 190161Hungry Horse, MT 59919(406)-387-5649Original Publication Author:ROBERT LOGANForestry SpecialistMontana State University Extension ServicePhotography credits:D.J. Bakken (1)Bud Clinch (40)John Garland (1)Skip Hegman (4)Paul Hansen (3)Peter Lesica (3)Alan Levno (2)Robert Logan (86)George Mathieus (1)Bill Swanson (1)Craig Thomas (5)Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife & Parks (4)Dean Sircuek (5)F.H. Stoltze Land & Lumber Co. (4)Chris Tootell (1)US Forest Service, Region 1 (3)US Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Ranger Station (4)US Geological Survey (1)Weldwood of Canada (19)Steve Wirt (3)Patrick Heffernan (1)US Forest Service Rocky Mountain Region Center for Design &Interpretation (15)Reviewed by:Buck Peterson, Wyoming SawmillsMark Conrad, Wyoming DEQBob McDowell, Wyoming Game and FishJim Arnold, Wyoming State Forestry DivisionChuck Harnish, Wyomimg DEQ, retiredWyoming's forest lands supply beauty, water,wildlife, minerals, recreation, forage, timber andjobs. This book is dedicated to the stewardshipof those qualities – especially pure water.Surface water from Wyoming forests supplies35% of Wyoming's residents. Described hereare Best Management Practices (BMPs) thatprotect water quality and forest soils. BMPs arevoluntary and represent preferred ways to manageforest land that conserve and protect waterquality during forest management activities. BMPsare effective. Field audits, conducted in 2004 indicatemore than 90 percent compliance. BMPs areintended for all forest lands, including non-industrialprivate, forest industry, state-owned and federalforests.If you own forest land, work in the forestor are interested in forests, this publication is foryou. It contains BMP guidelines and explainsreasons for using BMPs, not just rules.However, reading these pages is not enough.Maintaining our forests’ productivity andbenefits can only be achieved by on-the-groundapplication of BMPs.How you apply BMPs in the forest will requirepractice and personal judgement. Two notationsused in this book are intended to help.#24The “do not” symbol indicates practices youshould avoid.Indicates BMPs adopted by the State ofWyoming and the corresponding practice numberin the 2004 Nonpoint Source ManagementPlan. The complete text of the WyomingBMPs can be obtained from Wyoming DEQ orWyoming State Forestry Division.The need to safeguard the future of our waterresources is essential. With the cooperation of allforest users, and the application of theinformation on these pages, we can protect thewater quality of Wyoming's forestlands.Thank you for doing your best to put BMPs towork in the forest.Be aware that BMPs can and probably willchange. Our knowledge of the forest will increaseover time. Forest owners and managers will havenew techniques, new equipment, and differentneeds. The organizations listed on this page canhelp with information and education.“The forests of Wyoming are also the headwatersfor several major river basins. These landsproduce large quantities of high quality water.This water nurtures some of the West's bestfisheries and is used for irrigation, recreationand livestock, as well as sustaining Wyoming’scities, towns and communities. I applaud theefforts of private landowners, the forest industryand the state and federal agencies that areworking together to protect the quality ofWyoming’s water through the implementationof these Forestry BMPs”.Governor Dave Freudenthal“Forestry BMPs have proven to be effective inprotecting water quality during timber harvestoperations. The use of BMPs is currently voluntary;this publication represents a proactiveeffort between the Environmental ProtectionAgency, the WY Department of EnvironmentalQuality, the WY State Forestry Division, ForestIndustry, and other state and federal agencies.Working together, we can maintain the productivityof Wyoming’s forested landscapes whileprotecting the states valuable water resource”.Bill Crapser, Wyoming State ForesterWyoming State Forestry Division1100 W. 22nd. StreetCheyenne, WY 82002(307) 777-7586Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality122 W. 25th. Street, Herschler BuildingCheyenne, WY 82002(307) 777-7937Wyoming Timber Industry AssociationP.O. Box 6088Sheridan, WY 82801(605) 341-0875Montana State University Extension Forestry32 Campus DriveMissoula, MT 59812-0606(406) 243-2773CONTRIBUTORS TO THE PUBLICATION:WY Department of Environmental Quality (EPA 319 grant)WY State Forestry DivisionWyoming Timber Industry AssociationUS Forest ServiceMT State University Extension ForestryMT Department of Natural Resources & Conservation****Indicates additional recommended practices