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1) Champion International Forestry BMP Doubles
State's Rules 1. Champion International Forestry BMP Doubles State's Rules - Alabama's forestry voluntary Best Management Practices (BMP's) are outdated. Almost ten years ago the state of Alabama created a BMP program to protect our streams from bad actors in the logging industry by instituting standards that called for 35 foot streamside management zones (SMZ) or buffers between a stream and a logging operation. Today that standard is becoming obsolete. For example, Champion International Corporation, a paper company that owns 260,000 acres in Alabama has implemented and SMZ standard that calls for a minimum 50 foot buffer. For areas that have highly erodible soils, Champion calls for buffer zones from 80 to 120 feet. The reason Champion has standards that are more than double that of the state's is because their objectives go beyond water quality but also protect habitat and aesthetic values. Let's hope the state of Alabama can follow Champion's lead and update it's voluntary forestry Best Management Practices. 2. Cahaba River National Wildlife Refuge Being Drawn Up - According to the Birmingham News, Representative Spencer Bachus and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will be holding a joint press conference this week to announce plans to create a 3,500 acre National Wildlife Refuge along an ecologically important three and half mile stretch of the Cahaba River in Bibb County. The proposed refuge includes the Hargrove Shoals area where the often - photographed Cahaba lilies can be found. "A diverse coalition of environmental groups, paper companies, state, federal and county agencies all did the homework, " stated Wendy Allen, director of land protection for the Nature Conservancy in the B'ham News story. U.S. Alliance, formerly Kimberly Clark, is the largest landowner in the proposal with its 2,500 acres. Once acquired, Rep. Bachus hopes to use Land and Water Conservation funds to build trails, and an education center. 3) Governor Proposes ADEM Reform - In an October 1998 Huntsville Times interview on the environment (read the interview in BEN's archives Nov. 1, 1998 at http://www.BamaNews.com) candidate for governor Don Siegelman stated that he would change the Alabama Department of Environmental Management from the top down. Last week, Governor Don Siegelman made good on his promise by adding to his legislative agenda a top down shakeup of the agency. The bill, SB -536 (View it at: http://www.legislature.state.al.us/searchableInstruments/2000RS/Bills ) would make the ADEM director an appointee of the governor. The director would be responsible for setting environmental policy and deciding appeals and permit decisions. Under the bill, the current seven member environmental management commission would become an advisory board. "The bottom line is to instill accountability," stated the Governor's spokeswoman Carrie Kurlander in the Mobile Register. Because ADEM is not directly responsible to elected officeholders, "that makes it far less accountable, if at all, to the people of Alabama." 4. Springtime Forestry Advice From the Huntsville Times and a Great Website - This past week writer Mike Salinero of the Huntsville Times wrote an invaluable article on trees and the urban forests. For BEN readers who have homes with trees surrounding their residence, and need the trees to be trimmed, this article provides a wealth of information on how to protect your trees and your home. The story also gives good advice on how to manage your "urban forests". Check out the article at : http://www.al.com/news/huntsville/Apr2000/16-e32262.html On a more rural scale, please check out Steve Nix's "Alabama Forestry Link" website. Everything you ever wanted to know about Alabama forestry is located at this site. You can visit it at: http://members.aol.com/jostnix/ 5. Couple of Events to Mark on Your Calendar - Couple of special events in Birmingham are occurring this week. The first one is Auntie Litter's 9th Annual Earth Day Parade and Celebration for children in Linn Park (Nation's largest Earth Day parade for children) April 19th, Birmingham, 9:00am to 1:00 . It is hard to believe that more than 10 years ago I first met Pat Mitchell (aka. Auntie Litter) in my office at the Alabama Conservancy. What a passionate person! What a fireball! Pat has shared her passion for the environment for 10 years as Auntie Litter. Along the way she has touched the lives of countless children. If you can, try to attend her parade this year and check out Auntie Litter's year round activities by calling 205-967-4374. On Thursday, April 20th at 2:00 on the Birmingham Southern College campus, Dr. Gary Hartshorn, CEO of Tropical Studies at Duke University (Topic: The Global Importance of Tropical Forests) will be speaking. I met Dr. Hartshorn 15 years ago in Costa Rica on a tour set up by the University of Alabama. At the time, I was a pretty lost Sophomore at Bama and I doubt he remembers me from the trip. But I remember him. Our tour group was fortunate to have Dr. Hartshorn talk to us about the forests, on the lengthy journeys we made on the backroads of Costa Rica. His stories and vivid descriptions inspired me back then to do the work I do today. It will be wonderful to see him this week. I hope you can make it too. Please share BEN with friends and fellow conservationists. If you have any questions or comments about this publication, contact Pat Byington, the author and publisher of BEN at 205-226-7739 or pkbyington@aol.com We also encourage readers to visit our website at : http://www.BamaNews.com |
