Best Management Practice (BMP) Program
Best Management Practice Program for Loggers, Foresters and Landowners Involving Erosion and Sediment Control
Economic Incentives for Erosion and Sediment Control on Logging Jobs and Forest Roads
One of the Watershed Agricultural Council's goals is to reduce runoff of sediment into the Reservoirs and so help maintain water quality in the NYC Watershed. By working with landowners, loggers and foresters on harvest sites and with road layout, the Forestry Program helps reduce the sediment and nutrient loading that could result from forest management or road-building activities. The following are programs we have developed to offer cost share to incentivize the use of Best Management Practices (BMPs) that help promote good water quality while allowing active tree harvests and other management to take place in the forests of the NYC Watershed.
Stream Crossings
Stream crossings are the most critical area to control sediment from getting into the streams that feed into the NYC Watershed system. By keeping the sediment out of the streams at these stream crossing points, we can meet our water quality goal while helping loggers increase the productivity of their harvest operation and reduce maintenance on their equipment.
To help with this, the WAC Forestry Program offers three stream-crossing incentives for forest professionals:
- the Portable Bridge Loan,
- the Bridge Cost-Share, and
- the Portable Bridge Rental.
Portable Bridge Loan offers:
- Rubber Tire Mats for wet areas
- Arch Culverts to allow crossing of small streams (3'-5' wide)
- 20' portable bridges
- 30' portable bridge
- 50' portable bridge (deposit required)
A staff forester conducts a required site visit to ensure BMPs are designed correctly to keep soil runoff from entering the stream. The monetary cost-share helps defray the costs of transporting the bridge and installing the BMPs. Contact the Forestry Program for more information at (607) 865-7790, ext. 101.
Portable Bridge Cost-Share
This offers up to $1,060.90 ($1,591.35 TLC Incentive) cost share to construct your own portable skidder bridge if it is used at least once in the NYC Watershed. Refer to the 2011 Forestry Program Handbook for the latest cost-shares and incentives. A completed application must be submitted to our WAC Forestry Program office at 33195 State Highway 10, Walton, NY.
Portable Bridge Rental
This offers up to $1,193.51 ($2,121.80 TLC Incentive) reimbursement for renting a portable bridge if it is used in the NYC Watershed. A completed application plus a valid certificate of insurance must be submitted to our WAC Forestry Program office.
Best Management Practice Free Sample Program
To encourage loggers to utilize and become familiar with BMPs they can use on active logging jobs, the Best Management Practice (BMP) Free Sample Program provides free material samples of:
- Geotextile Fabric (200'x15')
- Bales of Hay (20)
- Grass Seed (50 lbs.)
- Culverts (20' long) (12", 18", 24" in diameter)
- Silt Fence (100' x 3' with stakes)
- Straw Wattlen (12')
- Erosion Control Blankets (100')
- Organic Bar and Chain Oil
You can pick up free samples at the Walton office or pre-arranged a materials drop-off to your job site. Contact the WAC Forestry Program office at (607) 865-7790 to get involved.
Erosion Control on Timber Harvest Roads and Forest Roads
By reducing erosion of timber harvest roads built to access watershed forests, loggers can minimize the potential for sedimentation and nutrient load entering the Reservoirs. The Timber Harvest Roads program pays loggers for installing Best Management Practices (BMPs) that control erosion and sedimentation prior to actively harvesting a landowner’s property.
The Forest Roads Program addresses forest road remediation when a harvest is not actively taking place. This allows a landowner to receive cost-share funding to place BMPs on their existing road system, so the roads are properly located and drain properly. This cost share pays for the work at hand, but does not pay for equipment transport to the work site. Contact the WAC Forestry Program at (607) 865-7790 for more information.
