Green Horizons

Loggers and landowners can both benefit from a new Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) pilot cost share incentive program called the Best Management Practices Conservation Innovation Grant. The grants are focused on encouraging timber harvesters to use good practices that protect soil and water on private land timber sales in 57 counties across the state.

Best Management Practices (BMPs) were developed as a guide for loggers and landowners to combine safe logging practices with steps that will avoid damage to water quality and soil erosion associated with timber harvesting. By taking steps to learn the BMPs and implement them, MDC hopes the Conservation Innovation Grant will encourage loggers and landowners to work together in maintaining the best possible forest health and productivity.

The grant is designed to be a partnership between loggers and landowners as they do business together. If approved, the cost share directly pays loggers $10 to $20 per acre to use the BMPs and landowners receive $5 per acre.

The concept behind splitting the incentive is that the logger has the equipment to implement the BMPs and the responsibility for establishing erosion prevention measures, and the landowner owns the property and is responsible for maintenance of the BMPs for a reasonable period of time. To participate, loggers should sign up for the cost share program at their local MDC office. The program requires that the logger has been through the Professional Timber Harvester course, offered by the Missouri Forest Products Association, or attend a BMP training class with the Department of Conservation.

To find a Department of Conservation office, go online to www.mdc.mo.gov. To find scheduled Professional Timber Harvester training classes go online to www.moforest.org. See map below of counties eligible for forestry best management practices cost share (highlighted in green).