Water qualityForestry best management practices
Nonpoint source pollution occurs when rainfall and snowmelt move across the ground and pick up pollutants like sediment and chemicals that are then carried into lakes, rivers and wetlands. The primary pollutant associated with forestry activities is sediment, especially at stream crossings for forest roads and skid trails.
Wisconsin's forestry best management practices for water quality are intended to provide simple and cost-effective methods for protecting water quality in lakes, streams and wetlands--including including important ecological and waterbody characteristics--before, during and after forest management activities.
Chapters in the field manual
- Wisconsin's Water Resources
- Forest Roads
- Stream Crossings
- Timber Harvesting
- Riparian Management Zones
- 2014 BMP Monitoring Report
- 2014 Monitoring – Executive Summary for Federal Landowners
- 2014 Monitoring – Executive Summary for Large Landowners
- 2013 BMP Monitoring Report
- 2013 Monitoring – Executive Summary for State Lands
- 2013 Monitoring – Executive Summary for County Lands
The first ten years
Wisconsin's Forestry Best Management Practices for Water Quality 1995 - 2005 tells about how the program was developed, education and training efforts, BMP monitoring, program accomplishments and areas for future focus.
Forestry best management practices workshops are a crucial component in the forestry BMP program, helping to protect water quality in Wisconsin. The workshops serve to clarify how, where and when to appropriately apply forestry BMPs. More than 5,000 people have attended the workshops since 1994.
If you are interested in attending a BMP workshop, you will find additional information (such as workshop descriptions, schedules and registration) at FISTA's website.