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Best Management Practices (BMP's)Best Management Practices (BMPs) are a set of practices designed to maintain soil and water quality during forest management operations. They are voluntary guidelines developed by foresters and other natural resource professionals responsible for managing Arkansas' forests. The potential for site disturbance is greatest during construction of roads, skid trails, and log landings especially during wet weather. Water quality can be impacted by the introduction of materials or the alteration of the stream channel itself. Introduced materials can include: 1) Sediment; 2) Debris; and 3) Nutrients and Chemicals. Sediment is the primary pollutant arising from road construction, log landings, and skid trails. Debris from timber harvesting such as tree tops and limbs can block small streams causing excessive bank cutting. Nutrients and chemicals such as fertilizers, pesticides, and petroleum products can wash into streams. Stream channels can be physically altered by straightening, dredging, and filling during construction. Stream temperatures can increase as a result of clearing timber along stream banks. With careful planning and implementation of BMP's these impacts can be avoided or minimized. The Arkansas Forestry Commission, in cooperation with the University of Arkansas system, the NRCS, forest industry, private forest consultants, private forest landowners, and other natural resource professionals has developed a booklet about BMPs. The purpose of the Best Management Practices (BMP) booklet is to help forest landowners and timber harvesters understand what BMPs are, their importance, and how to implement basic voluntary BMP techniques. For further information check The Arkansas Forestry Commission's Manual on BMP's for Arkansas. |
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