Promoting proper forest practices : Forestry Assistance Bureau Department of Natural Resources and Conservation (DNRC) PDF
Preview Promoting proper forest practices : Forestry Assistance Bureau Department of Natural Resources and Conservation (DNRC)
Legislative Audit Division Stateof Montana ReporttotheLegislature Performance Audit July2007 Promoting Proper Forest Practices Forestry AssistanceBureau Departmentof Natural Resources and Conservation (DNRC) Forestpracticesgenerallyrefertoactivitiesrelatedtotimbersales.Itis importanttoensureforestpracticesareconductedinwaystoprotectforest resources.ThisauditreportdiscussesDNRC’seffortstopromoteproper forestpractices.Topicsdiscussedinclude: Forestpracticesgenerallyrelyuponvoluntarycompliancewith forestrybestmanagementpractices(BMP). DNRC’sforestpracticescontrolsarecomprisedofpartnerships, education,andBMPaudits. DNRC’sprocessforpromotingproperforestpracticesnearwater achievessimilarresultsasstateswithmoreregulatory-based requirements. TofurtherstrengthenBMPaudits,DNRCandtheBMPTechnical WorkingGroupshouldexpandBMPauditselectioncriteria. Directcomments/inquiriesto: LegislativeAuditDivision Room160,StateCapitol POBox201705 06P-12 HelenaMT 59620-1705 http://leg.mt.gov/css/audit Helpeliminatefraud,waste,andabuseinstategovernment.CalltheFraudHotlineat 1-800-222-4446statewideor444-4446inHelena. PERFORMANCEAUDITS Performance audits conducted by the Legislative Audit Division are designed to assess state government operations. Fromthe audit work,a determinationis made as towhether agencies and programs are accomplishing their purposes, and whether they can do so with greater efficiency and economy. The audit work is conducted in accordance with audit standards set forth by the UnitedStatesGovernmentAccountabilityOffice. Members of the performance audit staff hold degrees in disciplines appropriate to the audit process. Areas of expertise include business and public administration, mathematics, statistics, economics,politicalscience,criminaljustice,computerscience,education,andbiology. Performance audits are performed at the request of the Legislative Audit Committee which is a bicameral andbipartisanstandingcommittee of theMontana Legislature.The committee consists ofsixmembersoftheSenateandsixmembersoftheHouseofRepresentatives. MEMBERSOFTHELEGISLATIVEAUDITCOMMITTEE SenatorJoeBalyeat,ViceChair RepresentativeBillBeck SenatorGregBarkus RepresentativeBillGlaser SenatorSteveGallus RepresentativeBetsyHands SenatorDaveLewis RepresentativeHalJacobson SenatorLyndaMoss RepresentativeMikePhillips SenatorMitchTropila RepresentativeJohnSinrud LEGISLATIVE AUDIT DIVISION ScottA.Seacat,LegislativeAuditor DeputyLegislativeAuditors: ToriHunthausen, JamesGillett ChiefDeputyLegislativeAuditor AngieGrove July2007 TheLegislativeAuditCommittee oftheMontanaStateLegislature: ThisisourperformanceauditoftheDepartmentofNaturalResourcesandConservation’s (DNRC)effortstopromoteproperforestpracticesinMontana.Forestpracticesgenerallyreferto activitiesrelatedtotimbersales.OurauditfoundDNRChascontrolsinplaceandaprocessto audittheuseofforestrybestmanagementpractices(BMP).Thisreportmakesarecommendation onhowDNRCcouldstrengthenitsBMPauditprocess. WewishtoexpressourappreciationtothemanagementandstaffofDNRCandforestpractices stakeholdersfortheircooperationandassistanceduringtheaudit.Thedepartment’sresponseto thisreportisincludedattheendofthereport. Respectfullysubmitted, /s/ScottA.Seacat ScottA.Seacat LegislativeAuditor Room160·StateCapitolBuilding·POBox201705·Helena,MT·59620-1705 Phone(406)444-3122·FAX(406)444-9784·[email protected] Legislative Audit Division Performance Audit Promoting Proper Forest Practices Forestry AssistanceBureau Departmentof Natural Resources and Conservation (DNRC) MembersoftheauditstaffinvolvedinthisauditwereSteveErb, JoeMurray,andMistyWallace. Table of Contents ListofFiguresandTables.......................................................................iii AppointedandAdministrativeOfficials..................................................iv ChapterI–Introduction............................................................................................................................1 Introduction...............................................................................................1 AuditObjectives.......................................................................................1 AuditScopeandMethodology.................................................................1 IssueforFurtherStudy.............................................................................2 ReportOrganization..................................................................................3 ChapterII–Montana'sForestPracticesRegulatoryFramework.........................................................5 Introduction...............................................................................................5 ExistingStatuteEncouragesVoluntaryBestManagement Practices....................................................................................................5 FireHazardReductionLaw.................................................................6 BMPNotificationLaw........................................................................6 StreamManagementZoneLaw...........................................................7 ChapterIII–ForestPracticesComponents.............................................................................................9 Introduction...............................................................................................9 Conclusion: PartnershipsandEducationHaveEnhancedthe ImplementationofSoundForestPractices...............................................9 Conclusion: On-siteInspectionsofForestPracticesand LandownerConsultationsHelpComplianceWithBMPs......................10 Conclusion: BMPAuditsareanEssentialComponentfor DNRCtoEvaluateifForestPracticeswereConducted Responsibly.............................................................................................11 Conclusion: VoluntaryBMPsareUsedaHighPercentageof TimeNearWater....................................................................................12 UseofBMPstoProtectWaterisPartofForestPractices Culture...............................................................................................13 HowDoMontana’sForestPracticesComparewithOtherStates?........14 DoStateswithSpecificForestPracticesLawsand RegulationsHaveBetterForestPracticesTrackRecordsin ProtectingWaterResources?.............................................................14 Conclusion: Montana’sAdministrationofForest PracticesAchievesSimilarResultsInProtectingWater Resources.....................................................................................15 ChapterIV–StrengtheningtheBMPAuditProcess.............................................................................17 Introduction.............................................................................................17 BMPAuditsMainlyFocusonForestPracticesNearStreams...............17 CurrentProcessDoesNotIncludeAllHigh-RiskFactorsin DNRC’sBMPAuditSelectionPool.................................................18 PotentialHigh-RiskSitesNotConsideredforBMPAudits..............18 BMPAuditSelectionCriteriaShouldBeExpanded..............................21 SomeForestPracticesNotTargetedwithCurrentProcess...............21 Pagei Table of Contents ChangingConditionsDictateNeedForNewSelection Criteria...............................................................................................22 BMPAuditSelectionCriteriashouldbeExpanded..........................22 AppendixA–AdministrationandEvolutionofForestPracticesinMontana.................................A-1 TheDepartmentofNaturalResourcesandConservation.....................A-1 ForestryAssistanceBureauAdministerstheForestPractices Program...........................................................................................A-1 ForestPracticesFundingandFTE.............................................A-2 TheCleanWaterActChangedForestPractices...................................A-4 HouseJointResolution49StudiesLedtoMontana’sCurrent ForestPracticesFramework............................................................A-5 Pageii List of Figures and Tables Figure Figure1 ExampleofImproperForestPractices.............................................20 Table Table1 ApplicationandEffectivenessofBMPs..........................................13 Table2 ForestPracticesFunding................................................................A-3 Pageiii Appointed and Administrative Officials DepartmentofNatural MarySexton,Director ResourcesandConservation BobHarrington,Administrator,ForestryDivision RobertEthridge,Chief,ForestryAssistanceBureau DanRogers,ForestStewardshipProgramSpecialist,Forestry AssistanceBureau Pageiv July 2007 06P-12 Performance Audit Highlights Promoting Proper Forest Practices A system exists to promote proper forest practices in Montana and protect water resources. This system could be enhanced by auditing forestry best management practices on a broader spectrum of timber harvest sites. AuditFindings Thetermforestpracticesgenerallyrefertoactivitiesrelatedtotimberharvest.Montana’scurrentforest practicesregulatoryframeworkconsistsofbothmandatoryrequirementsandvoluntaryapplications.The majorityofon-the-groundforestpracticesactivities,suchasroaddesignandbuilding,timberharvest operations,andstreamcrossingsareadministeredusingvoluntaryforestrybestmanagementpractices (BMPs).Inresponsetoa1987amendmenttothefederalCleanWaterAct,voluntaryBMPswere developedinMontanaasaprimarytooltoprotectwaterresourcesfromnon-pointsourcesofpollution duringforestpracticesactivities. AuditworkfoundMontana’ssystemtopromoteproperforestpracticesconsistsofthreemain components.Theseinclude: Partnershipsandeducationtoenhanceimplementationofsoundforestpractices. On-siteinspectionsofforestpracticesactivitiesandlandownerconsultationstoimprovecompliance withBMPs. BiennialBMPauditswhichareanessentialcomponentfortheDepartmentofNaturalResourcesand Conservation(DNRC)toevaluateifforestpracticeswereconductedresponsibly. WecomparedMontana’strackrecordforprotectingforestwaterresourcestostateswithhigherlevelsof statutoryrequirementsrelatedtoforestpractices.OurreviewfoundMontana’sprocess,whichrelies heavilyonvoluntaryBMPs,appearstoachievesimilarresultsinprotectingwaterresourcesasstateswith amoreregulation-orientedstructure.UsingBMPstoprotectwaterresourceshasbecomepartofthe cultureofconductingforestpracticesinMontana. DNRCusessiteselectioncriteriatorandomlyselect40to45“high-risk”timberharvestsitesforbiennial BMPaudits.Tobeconsideredhigh-risk,anyportionofatimbersalemustbelocatedwithin200feetofa streamorotherwatersource.Thecurrentselectioncriterialimitsotherhigh-risksitesfrombeing consideredforaBMPaudit.Inoneexample,aroadconstructedforatimbersalehadover100stream crossingsbutthetimberharvestdidnotqualifytobeselectedbecausetheactualharvestsitewasnot within200feetofwater.Auditdocumentationdemonstratedroadsurfacedrainage,culvertinstallation, andotherstreamcrossingshavethehighestdeparturesfromBMPsandarethehighestpotentialsources ofnon-pointwaterpollution.ThecurrentBMPauditselectioncriteriaoffocusingontimberharvests conductednearwaterhavebeenusedsince1989.Whileanimportantcomponentoftheprocess,itdoes notconsiderseveralotherhigh-riskfactorssuchasroadconstruction,topography,soiltype,logging method,etc.Timberindustryrepresentativesindicateddifferentselectioncriteriashouldbeusedto provideabroaderperspectiveofforestpracticesactivities-notjustthosewhereaharvestwasconducted within200feetofawatersource. AuditRecommendations DNRC,inconjunctionwiththeBMPTechnicalWorkingGroup,shouldexpandBMPauditselection criteriapriortothe2008BMPauditcycletoaudit/monitorabroaderspectrumoftimberharvestsites. LegislativeAuditDivision http://leg.mt.gov/css/audit 406-444-3122 S-1 Chapter I – Introduction Introduction Montana’sforestsareimportantbecausetheyaretheheadwatersfor severalmajorriverbasinsusedforirrigationandlivestock,domestic andindustrialpurposes,andavarietyofrecreationalactivities. Montana’s22.5millionacresofforestedlandalsocontributetoone ofthestate’smajorindustries-timber.Forestpracticesareactivities resultingintheharvestoftrees,roadconstructionandreconstruction associatedwiththetreeharvest,sitepreparationfortreestand regeneration,andmanagementofslashfromtimberharvest operations.AportionoftheDepartmentofNaturalResourcesand Conservation’s(DNRC)missionistoensuresustainabilityof Montana’sforeststhroughsoundforestmanagementpractices.This responsibilityincludesensuringforestpracticesareconductedin waystoprotectsoil,water,andotherforestresources.Attherequest oftheLegislativeAuditCommittee,aperformanceauditwas conductedofDNRC’sprocesstopromoteproperforestpracticesin Montana. AuditObjectives Theobjectivesofourauditwereto: 1. DetermineDNRC’sroleinpromotingproperforestpracticesin Montana. 2. EvaluatehowDNRCprovidesfortheprotectionofsoil,water andotherforestresourcesduringforestpracticesactivities. 3. DetermineifMontana’svoluntarysystemforregulatingforest practicesiscomparabletostateswithmoreregulatory requirements. AuditScopeand ThescopeofthisauditevaluatedDNRC’sroleinencouraging Methodology properforestpracticesonStateTrustLands,federallands,private industrialforestlands,andnon-industrialprivateforest(NIPF)lands. Toaddressourauditobjectives,wecompletedthefollowingwork: Reviewedlaws,administrativerules,andforestrybest managementpractices(BMPs). ReviewedHouseJointResolution(HJR)49passedbythe1987 Legislature.HJR49wasthespringboardforMontana’scurrent forestpracticesregulatorystructure. Page1
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