2016 Logging BMP Workshop

            Logging is and has been going on in Guernsey and surrounding counties for many years, for the most part with no issues. Occasionally something happens that is brought to our attention and is then dealt with. To help insure that these issues are kept from happening and how to deal with them accordingly, the Guernsey Soil and Water Conservation District, The Ohio Division of Forestry, and Superior Hardwoods of Ohio held a workshop for local loggers to attend and learn about BMP’s (Best Management Practices). The goal of this class was to help educate loggers about Ohio’s BMP laws that are required on logging jobs so that local soil and water quality are not degraded due to timber harvest activities. Jeremy Scherf, State Service Forester, talked about BMP’s and why they’re important to the land they help conserve and the ground they’re implemented on, as well as different tips and tactics and how they apply under multiple circumstances.  Bob Mulligan, Forest Hydrology Manager from The Ohio Division of Forestry, also spoke about the importance of BMP’s and soil and water conservation during silviculture practices and how there are laws in effect to ensure that our natural resources are not infringed upon. Bob also talked about where these laws spurred from and the direction legislation is looking at turning on the subject. Tony Machamer, Forester with Superior Hardwoods of Ohio, showed loggers why BMP’s are important to them from a saw mills perspective, because taking care of the ground that timber is harvested from is a near and dear issue to them as a business. To wrap things up Levi Arnold, Wildlife/ Forestry Specialist with the Guernsey SWCD talked about filing a voluntary form with the district called a Timber Harvest Management Plan which can give loggers some legal stability if one of their logging jobs were to come into question about best management practices installed on a property and some of the benefits this form gives to all involved in a timber harvest, everyone from the landowner, and forester, to the logger, and SWCD representative. For any questions please call the Guernsey SWCD at 740-489-5276.

Bob Mulligan, Forest Hydrologist with The Ohio Division of Forestry, answers questions about Ohio’s BMP laws.

Jeremy Scherf, State Service Forester with The Ohio Division of Forestry, gives a presentation to loggers about why BMP’s are important and how they help the land.