BMPs for Erosion Control for Logging Practices in Ohio

Bulletin 196

Filter and Shade Strips

Figure 24. Filter strips.

A filter strip is a protective strip of undisturbed forest soil. The filter strip separates areas that have been disturbed down to mineral soil from a watercourse. It provides a relatively undisturbed zone to trap and filter suspended solids before the particles reach the stream. The steeper the slope, the wider the filter strip should be (Table 3 and Figure 24).

A shade strip is a no cut or light cut 25-foot-wide strip on each side of the streambank that preserves adequate shading of permanently flowing streams and maintains satisfactory stream water temperature. Filter and shade strips may also be referred to as Streamside Management Zones or SMZs.

Equipment operation in filter strips should be minimized. If mineral soil is exposed, it should be seeded and mulched as soon as possible.

Skid trails and haul roads should not be located in filter and shade strips except when crossing streams. No skidding should be done in filter or shade strips. No landings or yards should be constructed in these areas.

Energy dissipators should be installed at culvert outlets where the culverts are not in the natural streambed at natural grade (Figure 14).

Cut and fill in filter and shade strips should be minimal to be consistent with safety and other design criteria.

The filter strips along perennial streams may be selectively harvested only. All trees casting shade on the stream should be left.

Logging slash greater than 6 inches in diameter shall be removed from the channel of perennial streams as identified on U.S.G.S. 7.5 minute quadrangles. Management of logging slash in filter strips should be a part of the O&M plan. Judgment should be used on treatment of slash as to its likelihood to cause streambank erosion for all streams. Pull slash away from channel and bank.

Table 3. Determining filter strip width.