Forestry BMPs Protect Aquatic Biodiversity in the Florida Panhandle Critical Biodiversity Area

The Clean Water Act established national goals and a legal framework for protecting the physical, chemical, and biological integrity of waterbodies. Forestry best management practices (BMPs) have been developed and approved by states as the primary mechanism for minimizing sediment, nutrients, and chemical delivery to streams during forest management. Forestry BMPs refers to a
practice or combination of practices that has been determined to be the most effective and practicable means of controlling nonpoint source pollutants (e.g., sediment, nutrients) during and
after silvicultural activities. State agencies have the lead role in collaborating with forest landowners and workers to implement BMPs to prevent water quality issues resulting from forest management activities.

The Florida Panhandle Critical Biodiversity Area (FPCBA) has been identified as an area of specified risk under the Forest Stewardship Council National Risk Assessment for the Conterminous United States of America (FSC-NRA-USA V1-0). Options to mitigate risk in the FPCBA include using BMPs to contribute to conservation of aquatic biodiversity. This NCASI fact sheet highlights the ability of BMPs to conserve aquatic biodiversity within the FPCBA.

Keywords: Best Management Practices, aquatic species, Forest Stewardship Council, Critical Biodiversity Area, Apalachicola River