Forested
lands are an important natural resource in Mississippi. They help protect
and cleanse the water we need for drinking, residential use, irrigation, and
industry. According to the Southern Forest Resource Assessment (USDA Forest
Service 2002), forested watersheds consistently yield lower sediment and
nutrient contributions to surface waters and improve biological conditions.
It is through the wise management of these lands that a multitude of
benefits is generated.
Forests make important, positive
contributions to the quality of life for Mississippians by providing
thousands of jobs, a wealth of forest products, livestock forage areas, open
spaces, abundant wildlife habitat, scenic areas, recreational experiences,
and other social and economic benefits.
The federal Clean Water Act of
1987 requires proper steps be taken to prevent pollution to sources of
drinking water and protect water quality (see Environmental Protection
Agency, Source Water Protection for more information). When conducting
forestry operations, using Mississippi’s Best Management Practices can
satisfy the requirements of the Clean Water Act. Best management practices
for forestry, commonly referred to as BMPs, are a group of voluntary
practices used to reduce water pollution
It
is the responsibility of the landowner and/or timber owner to ensure that
pollution of state waters does not occur from forestry operations. The
professional resource manager and the equipment operator working for a
landowner also have an ethical responsibility to ensure that practices
preformed do not cause pollution under the Water Quality Act and state law.
It is in the best interest of all parties involved with managing the forest
resource to ensure adherence to water quality standards, thereby maintaining
site quality while protecting environmental conditions.
The Mississippi Forestry
Commission’s role in water quality is to monitor the use of best management
practices. Findings are report to the Mississippi Department of
Environmental Quality (MDEQ). It is estimated that some type of forest
activity occurs on nearly 850,000 acres annually in the state. The
Mississippi Forestry Commission works with landowners, forest industry,
loggers and others to help ensure that forestry practices do not cause
pollution under the Water Quality Act and state laws.
Additional
information concerning forest management activities and water quality is
available in this brochure:
The Forest Landowner and Water Quality.
Forestry Best Management Practices:
Best
Management Practices (BMPs) are non-regulatory guidelines for
silvicultural practices designed to protect water quality in Mississippi.
Every three years, a statewide implementation
monitoring survey is conducted and a report is published. The
purpose of BMP
monitoring is to evaluate the use of voluntary BMPs by the forestry
community. By monitoring silvicultural activities, the overall
integrity of water quality will improve as well as the restoration and
protection of all watersheds. The guidelines set forth in “Silviculture
Best Management Practices Implementation Monitoring: A Framework for
State Forestry Agencies” are be used to develop the implementation
monitoring.
For more information on Water Quality and
Forestry BMPs, check out these items:
Obstructing waterways; felling trees in excess of six inches in diameter
into running stream. It shall be unlawful and a misdemeanor for any
person, firm, corporation, association or organization to push, fell or
cut trees, in excess of six (6) inches in diameter, into a running
stream, or deposit or leave in a running stream, trees, in excess of six
(6) inches in diameter, logs in excess of six (6) inches in diameter or
tree tops, without removing the same immediately, in such cases where
such will materially impede the flow of or navigation upon such running
stream.
Any violation of this section shall be punishable by a fine of not less
than twenty-five dollars ($25.00) and not more than two hundred dollars
($200.00).
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Mississippi's BMPs - Best Management Practices for Forestry in
Mississippi.
To receive copies of the new fourth edition, please email Lisa Harris at
lharris@mfc.state.ms.us and
include your name, company name, mailing address and number of copies
needed. Click to download a copy of
Mississippi's latest BMPs.
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Mississippi's
BMPs
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For
more information on This program, contact:
Bruce Frasier
District Forester, East Central
14941Hwy 16 West
P.O. Box 429
Philadelphia, MS 39350
(601) 656-1381 office
(601) 656-9247 fax
bfrasier@mfc.state.ms.us
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