January - March, 2010
News from Missouri
I am proud to announce a trial cost share program for installing Best Management Practices (BMPs) on private land timber sales to prevent erosion in six counties in southern Missouri. This project is being funded with a Conservation Innovation Grant via the USDA Natural Resource Conservation Services (NRCS).
If you live in Iron, Reynolds, Wayne, Shannon, Carter, or Ripley Counties in Missouri and if you are planning a timber sale, you should consider having your logger go with you to apply for a cost share to install BMPs on your timber sale. In addition, if you are a logger working in the counties mentioned above you should seriously consider this incentive; when I was in the logging business I would have loved to have been paid for putting in BMPs. The cost share pays loggers between $10-20/acre for installing the practices. The landowners get $5/acre for simply maintaining the practice for five years.
What is the purpose for this trial cost share? I feel that loggers have the equipment on site and have the ability to install the BMPs. Often there are no BMPs installed until the landowner notices a soil erosion issue. This practice would demonstrate that a proactive approach would almost eliminate erosion on timber sales. I also want to prove to other cost share providers that if they are sincere about making sure that BMPs are used on private land timber sales that this is a way to get the job done.
If you are interested in this trial cost share program call one of the Missouri Department of Conservation offices in the six counties mentioned and ask to talk to a Private Land Conservationist or a Forester for more details. If you have any questions concerning the forest products industry you can give me a call. John Tuttle (573) 522-4115 ext 3304.