24
Dr Tom Nisbet Head of Physical Environment Research Forest and water guidelines for forest management plans
Dr Tom NisbetHead of Physical Environment Research
Forest and water guidelines for forest management plans
2
UKFS Requirements & Guidelines
• Legal requirements• Good forest practice
requirements• Guidelines
Wales FMP Training 2019
3
Supporting Guidance
Wales FMP Training 2019
4
Contents & Scope
• Applying this guidance will help ensure that forest operations comply with the UKFS Requirements and Guidelines on Forests and Water and thereby have no detrimental effects on water.
Wales FMP Training 2019
5
Planning – in advance of works!
Wales FMP Training 2019
• Strategic – Forest management plan: think about water catchment, e.g. condition of water body and nature of flood risk
• Site – Operational plan: think about vulnerability and condition of water environment, risk posed by proposed operations and need for countermeasures
• Site – Contingency plan: think about what you would do and risks to water if thinks go wrong – remember you are financially liable!
• Water Management Plan: formal plan in Wales, similar to an operational plan, comprising mapping of watercourses and their condition, an environmental risk assessment, measures to mitigate risks, monitoring, post-operation checks & learning.
6
Role of Buffer Zones
Wales FMP Training 2019
Designed to protect watercourses from forest operations on adjacent land –extending legal minimum no-go widths:
7
Cultivation - Planning
Wales FMP Training 2019
Key issues: soil disturbance and acceleration of runoff resulting in increased turbidity,siltation and flood risk
• Assess soil erodibility and downstream risks • Apply slope limits (no linear cultivation on steep
slopes (>18˚), on moderate slopes (11-18˚) with medium or highly erodible soils, or on gentle slopes (6-11˚) with highly erodible soils)
• Avoid large-scale linear cultivation where there is a local flood risk
• Mark out buffers and incorporate wet flushes
Key threat: linear cultivation channelsKey measures:
8
Cultivation – Operational Practice
Wales FMP Training 2019
• Machine operators must be fully aware of the operational plan and closely follow any specifications
• Monitor the general condition of water throughout operations and quickly respond to changes
9
Drainage - Planning
Wales FMP Training 2019
Key issues: acceleration or diversion of runoff resulting in increased turbidity, siltation and flood risk, as well as potential slope failure
• Identify and assess existing drains and plan new layout to control volume and speed of runoff
• Avoid steep (>18˚) slopes and moderate slopes (11-18˚) with medium or highly erodible soils
• Install drains at same time or as soon as possible after cultivation operations
• Mark out buffers and incorporate wet flushes
Key threat: extensive, steep or poorly routed drains
Key measures:
10
Drainage – Operational Practice
Wales FMP Training 2019
11
Fertilisers - Planning
Wales FMP Training 2019
Key issue: leaching or wash-off of nutrients degrading water quality and causing algal growth
• Identify nutrient sensitive waters (failing water bodies, water supplies, shallow coastal waters)
• Avoid aerial applications to private water supplies
• Identify all surface water features and mark out buffers – double width for aerial applications
Key threat: aerial applications draining to standing waters
Key measures:
12
Fertilisers – Operational Practice
Wales FMP Training 2019
• Avoid applications when drain flows are sufficient to produce runoff across buffer areas
• Respect buffers!
13
Pesticides - Planning
Wales FMP Training 2019
Key issue: contamination of the water environment with serious impact on drinking water quality and invertebrate life
• Identify all surface waters, including connected drains, and clearly mark out and respect buffers –min 10 m along small watercourses (<1 m wide)!
• Consult with relevant authorities and users of private water supplies when proposing to apply on land draining to water supplies
• Take particular care with storage, handling, washdown and disposal
Key threat: applications close to water
Key measures:
14
Pesticides – Operational Practice
Wales FMP Training 2019
• Avoid applications when drain flows are sufficient to produce runoff across buffer areas
• Avoid emptying washings to same area of ground –respect limits on application rates
15
Roads & Quarries - Planning
Wales FMP Training 2019
Key issues: sediment runoff, slope failure, road washout, accelerated runoff and acid/metal contamination degrading water environment
• Ensure culverts are of a sufficient size and spacing to cope with flows
• Prioritise the repair or replacement of problem drains, culverts and watercourse crossings
• Plan to carry out regrading works in dry weather to reduce sediment runoff
Key threat: poorly designed and maintained road sections and drains causing direct runoff to watercourses
Key measures:
16
Roads & Quarries – Op. Practice
Wales FMP Training 2019
• Minimise working within buffer areas
• Disconnect road drains
• Avoid hanging culverts in fish-bearing waters
• Do not pile up loose spoil at road edges sloping down to watercourses
17
Harvesting - Planning
Wales FMP Training 2019
Key issues: soil damage and disturbance causing turbid water, nutrient runoff enriching waters and nitrate release contributing to acidification
• If site drains to a water supply, fish farm, priority habitats and species, or acidified waters, identify catchment boundary and limit felling to <20% of the catchment in any three-year period
• Use soil maps and topographic data to assess the risk of ground damage, erosion and turbid water
• Minimise stream crossings but not at the expense of longer and more damaging extraction routes
Key threat: timber extraction on soft ground and watercourse crossings
Key measures:
18
Watercourse Crossings
Wales FMP Training 2019
Crossings are designed to protect the water channel – leave and maintain sufficient clearance, protect approaches and avoid key locations
19
Harvesting – Operation Practice
Wales FMP Training 2019
• Ensure ruts are not formed by operating tethered machines on steep slopes
20
Vehicles & Machinery - Planning
Wales FMP Training 2019
Key issue: leak or spillage of any type of oil, including bio-oil, contaminating waters
• Apply a 50 m buffer around all surface waters, springs, wells and boreholes when storing or handling fuel oils and lubricants within water supplies
• Ensue staff are aware of threats posed to water environment and are properly trained in the correct use of diesel handling systems and dealing with spills
• Plan for biosecurity measures to prevent the spread of freshwater invasive species - machine cleaning
Key threat: vehicle and machine maintenance close to watercourses
Key measures:
21
Vehicles & Machinery – Op. Practice
Wales FMP Training 2019
22
Contingency Planning
Wales FMP Training 2019
• Issue a pollution control checklist
• Ensure staff are adequately trained
• Ensure stocks of equipment and materials are readily available
• Regularly review plans and have a recording system for incidents and near-misses
23
Sediment Control
Wales FMP Training 2019
• The use of silt traps and geotextile barriers should generally be seen as an emergency measure and not a substitute for good site planning and practice
24
Monitoring
Wales FMP Training 2019
• Water turbidity is a good indicator of suspended sediment and risk of water pollution
• Turbidity can be quickly and easily monitored to check site runoff during and after operations, as well as to check the effectiveness of emergency measures
• Use a clear-sided bottle and compare clarity with standards (water colour can cause interference) –record results
