COLUMBUS, OH -- A field reference guide for effective standards in logging practices has been revised and now is available through state foresters with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR). Best Management Practices for Erosion Control for Logging Practices in Ohio, provides guidelines for those seeking certification through the Master Logger program.
The Master Logger program is a collaborative effort between ODNR and the Ohio Forestry Association. Certification from the program is needed to harvest timber in any of Ohio's 20 state forests. The reference guide establishes practical and effective standards, assuring compliance with the Ohio Agricultural Pollution Abatement Law. This new edition has been reorganized to better reflect how a logging job progresses in the field and includes graphics to more clearly communicate desired techniques and outcomes.
Many individuals and agencies with interest in the logging industry assisted with the revised handbook, including The Ohio State University Extension. The Silvicultural Nonpoint Source Pollution Technical Advisory Committee, a regional committee created by the 1987 Federal Water Quality Act, also reviewed the guide.
Copies of the publication are free and available upon request by contacting Andrew Sabula at the ODNR Division of Forestry. Sabula can be reached at 614-265-6703 or Andrew.Sabula@dnr.state.oh.us