BMPs for Erosion Control for Logging Practices in Ohio

Bulletin 196

Sale Closing

The timber sale closure will determine the site’s future soil erosion and sedimentation potential. The main purpose of the timber sale closure is to stabilize the soil to prevent soil erosion. However, improved wildlife habitat and aesthetics may be benefited by the sale closeout. Sale closure procedures should be completed as soon as a section of the timber harvest area is completed.

A. Water Bars

Water bars should be built on skid trails and haul roads that will not have vehicular traffic (Figures 18A, 18B, 19A, and 20).

Water bars should have an angle to the road of 30 degrees and an outslope of 2 to 3 degrees. The water bars should be spaced according to Table 4. Soil conditions may warrant closer spacing.

Figure 25. Re-vegetated logging road.

Figure 26. Properly re-vegetated and closed logging road.

Figure 27. Properly installed mulch on new seeding.

The uphill end of the water bar should tie into the bank.

The downhill outlet of the water bar should only extend to the undisturbed forest floor.

Improperly constructed water bars will fail and cause soil erosion and sedimentation. Water bars should be a minimum of 2 feet above roadbed.

Pipe culverts, box culverts, rolling dips, or broad-based dips should be installed and maintained on roads that will continue to have vehicular traffic (see Section III, Haul Roads, and Section IV, Skid Trails).

B. Re-vegetation of Landings and Roads

Vegetation should be reestablished on all critical areas that have exposed mineral soil. The goal should be to have 50 percent vegetative cover within one year of sale closing. Lime, fertilizer, seed, and mulch may need to be applied in order to achieve this goal.

Seeding - Seeding to re-vegetate sites keeps the disturbed soil stabilized. Using various seed mixtures can benefit wildlife also (Table 6).

Lime and Fertilizer - Lime and fertilizer application may be necessary to insure seeding success. The lime applications should be incorporated to a depth of 3 to 6 inches. Seed and fertilizer should be surface-applied (Tables 5 and 7).

Mulching

Mulch is extremely important on new seedings, especially those on steep slopes, regardless of soil conditions.

Immediately after seeding, mulch all seeded areas steeper than 20 percent with fresh straw (preferably wheat) spread uniformly at the rate of 1½ to 2 tons per acre, or 100 pounds (2–3 bales) per 1,000 square feet and cover lightly 75–90 percent of the surface area. Twenty-five bales is typical per 1/4 acre landing.

When practical, anchor mulch with one of the following methods:

1. Mulch anchoring tool. This tool has a series of flat, notched disks that punch and anchor the mulch material into the soil.
2. Mulch netting of lightweight, fibrous materials.
3. Excelsior Blanket may be used in lieu of other mulch in gutters, channels, or other areas of concentrated runoff.

General Note

All mulches will provide some degree of:

1. erosion control
2. moisture conservation
3. weed control
4. reduction of soil crusting

For dormant seedings mulching rates will be increased 50 percent.

Table 5. Suggested seeding, fertilizer, and lime rates.

Table 6. Suggested grass seed mixtures for disturbed sites.

Skid Trails and Road Cuts

The above seed mixtures are acceptable for sun and shade conditions and may also be regarded as a wildlife mixture.

Table 7. Calculating seed and fertilizer needs.

How to Calculate Seed and Fertilizer
Needs for Roads and Disturbed Areas

A. Road Area (acres)

Multiply the appropriate table figure times the pounds per acre that is recommended for seed mixtures.

B. Other Areas

1. To determine acreage and pounds of seed needed for other areas, such as loading decks, turnouts, tank batteries, etc., use the following formula:
   
   Average length x average width = square feet
   Square feet x 0.000023
   
   Multiply the answer times the pounds per acre as recommended in seed mixture tables to determine amount of seed.


2. To determine fertilizer and mulch needs, use the above procedures.
   
   Example:
   An access road is 12 feet wide and 500 feet long. The well site is 200 feet wide and 250 feet long. What is the total area?
   
   Area of Road (from Chart) 0.14 acres
   Area of Landing Site 1.15 acres
   
   1.29 acres total
   
   Use 1.29 x recommended seeding rates per acre to determine quantities needed.