Where the Water Hits the Road – Forestry BMP Monitoring and Assessment in Maine

As part of its legislative mandate, the Maine Forest Service (MFS) monitors and reports on the use and effectiveness of Forestry Best Management Practices (BMPs) in Maine.  Since 2005, the MFS has used the Northeast Regional Forestry BMP Monitoring Protocol to assess the use and effectiveness of BMPs on timber harvest operations. This protocol focuses data collection on measurable evidence of BMP outcomes to assess effectiveness, rather than assessing the implementation of prescribed practices. Because data collected using the protocol are measurable, repeatable and focused on outcomes, it is useful for a variety of purposes including: 1) Reporting in a timely manner important public trust resource information to the community and USEPA, 2) Responding to inquiries and concerns about the effects of timber harvesting on water quality, 3) Identifying statewide trends and areas of concern, and 4) Targeting technical assistance and educational outreach efforts. This presentation will discuss the monitoring protocol and summarize the highlights from first five years of monitoring data.