Water Quality, Biodiversity, and Codes of Practice In
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Water Quality, Biodiversity and Codes of Practice in Relation to Harvesting Forest Plantations in Streamside Management Zones Daniel G. Neary1, Philip J. Smethurst2, Brenda Baillie3, and Kevin C. Petrone4 August 2011 ii 1CSIRO Ecosystem Sciences, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia; and U.S. Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Flagstaff, Arizona, USA 2CSIRO Ecosystem Sciences, and CRC for Forestry, Private Bag 12, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia; Tel: +61 3 6237 5653; Email: [email protected] 3SCION, Rotorua, New Zealand 4CSIRO Ecosystem Sciences and Landscape Logic CERF, Perth, Western Australia Cover Photo: Two types of streamside management zone (SMZ) plantations are shown, both of which include fences to exclude livestock. In the foreground the SMZ was planted with Acacia melanoxylon (blackwoods) and not intended for commercial wood production. In the background is an SMZ containing commercial 20-year-old Eucalyptus nitens that was harvested and reported in Neary et al. (2010), which is cited in this report. Photo by P. Smethurst. Copyright and Disclaimer © 2011 CSIRO To the extent permitted by law, all rights are reserved and no part of this publication covered by copyright may be reproduced or copied in any form or by any means except with the written permission of CSIRO. Important Disclaimer CSIRO advises that the information contained in this publication comprises general statements based on scientific research. The reader is advised and needs to be aware that such information may be incomplete or unable to be used in any specific situation. No reliance or actions must therefore be made on that information without seeking prior expert professional, scientific and technical advice. To the extent permitted by law, CSIRO (including its employees and consultants) excludes all liability to any person for any consequences, including but not limited to all losses, damages, costs, expenses and any other compensation, arising directly or indirectly from using this publication (in part or in whole) and any information or material contained in it. Contents 1. SUMMARY ......................................................................................................... 7 2. INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................. 7 2.1 Objectives ................................................................................................................. 9 2.2 Definitions ................................................................................................................. 9 2.2.1 Buffer Strips .......................................................................................................... 9 2.2.2 Filter Strips ............................................................................................................ 9 2.2.3 Riparian Zones ...................................................................................................... 9 2.2.4 Greenways and Grassed Waterways .................................................................. 10 2.2.5 Wetlands ............................................................................................................. 10 2.2.6 Streamside Management Zones ......................................................................... 11 2.3 Components of SMZs ............................................................................................. 11 3. SMZ functions, processes and limitations .................................................... 13 3.1 Functions ................................................................................................................. 13 3.2 Processes ............................................................................................................... 18 3.2.1 Surface Roughness ............................................................................................. 18 3.2.2 Water Velocity and Depth.................................................................................... 18 3.2.3 Sediment Size ..................................................................................................... 18 3.2.4 SMZ Width .......................................................................................................... 19 3.2.5 Key Nutrient Transformations .............................................................................. 20 3.2.6 Vegetation Uptake of Nutrients ........................................................................... 26 3.2.7 Habitat ................................................................................................................. 26 3.3 Function-Limiting Factors ........................................................................................ 26 3.3.1 Hillslope Uniformity ............................................................................................. 27 3.3.2 Surface Roughness ............................................................................................. 27 3.3.3 Flow Conditions and Floods ................................................................................ 27 3.3.4 Surface Runoff versus Subsurface Flow ............................................................. 28 3.3.5 Slope ................................................................................................................... 28 3.3.6 SMZ Width .......................................................................................................... 28 3.3.7 Roads .................................................................................................................. 28 4. POLICY, CODES OF FOREST PRACTICE, AND FARM FORESTRY ............. 28 4.1 Australian Regulatory and Policy Context .............................................................. 28 4.2 New Zealand Regulatory and Policy Context ......................................................... 31 5. INTERNATIONAL SMZ EXPERIENCES AND GUIDELINES ........................... 32 5.1 Australia .................................................................................................................. 32 5.1.1 New South Wales ................................................................................................ 35 5.1.2 Northern Territory ................................................................................................ 35 5.1.3 Queensland ......................................................................................................... 35 5.1.4 South Australia .................................................................................................... 36 4 5.1.5 Tasmania ............................................................................................................ 36 5.1.6 Victoria ................................................................................................................ 41 5.1.7 Western Australia ................................................................................................ 42 5.2 New Zealand ........................................................................................................... 43 5.3 USA ......................................................................................................................... 44 5.3.1 SMZs as Best Management Practices ................................................................ 44 5.3.2 Southern USA ..................................................................................................... 46 5.3.3 USA-Canada Regional Reviews.......................................................................... 49 5.3.4 USA Agency Guidelines ...................................................................................... 51 5.35 Minnesota SMZ Guidelines .......................................................................................... 52 5.4 Canada ................................................................................................................... 53 5.4.1 British Columbia .................................................................................................. 54 5.5 Alberta ..................................................................................................................... 57 5.5.1 Ontario ................................................................................................................ 59 5.5.4 Other Provinces................................................................................................... 60 5.5 Europe .................................................................................................................... 60 5.5.1 Ireland ......................................................................................................................... 61 5.5.2 Sweden ............................................................................................................... 62 5.5.3 Finland ................................................................................................................ 63 5.5.4 Germany, Russia, Latvia, Poland ........................................................................ 63 5.6 Asia, Africa, Central and South America ................................................................ 63 6. SMZ EFFECTIVENESS FOR PROTECTING WATER QUALITY DURING FOREST HARVESTING and management ..................................................................... 65 6.1 Sediment ................................................................................................................. 65 6.2 Temperature ..........................................................................................................