Forest Practices
 Narrator
Oregon’s Forest Practices Act imposes some of the nation’s toughest rules on logging. One objective is to reduce soil erosion, a major nonpoint source pollutant. That’s where Dave Degenhardt comes in. He works for Oregon’s Department of Forestry. It’s his responsibility to help loggers follow and understand the rules.
Dave Degenhardt, Oregon Department of Forestry
We feel like we’ve got the enforceable rules on the books to require proper practice, but the real key to doing that is to explain to the landowners and operators the purpose of those regulations. When they know that—almost all the time—they will comply because they understand the purpose of it and they agree with that purpose and they support it.
Narrator
This is not to say that Degenhardt’s educational efforts are always welcome. The rules require logging practices that can sometimes double the cost of harvesting. Some long-time loggers, like Don Oakes, say they are skeptical of rules based on today’s "best scientific knowledge."
 Don Oakes, Hull-Oakes Lumber Company
We’ve done a lot of things over the years to disturb. We cleaned creeks and just ruined a lot of rivers. We ran skidders out on the ground when it was wet—when they said we could do it—instead of using the Cats and we got a lot of compacted soil from it. And so every time I hear, "the best scientific knowledge," I have reservations about "is it really?"
Narrator
Still, Oakes admits the rules are probably good for the forest industry.
Don Oakes, Hull-Oakes Lumber Company
It’s a good program. They get a little carried away on some things—like knocking a few limbs off of the trees along the buffer strips. And you can see the beavers are down there chopping them down— complete trees down. But really, it’s not affecting us too bad.
Narrator
Degenhardt says Oregon has made great progress, and is ahead of most states, in controlling erosion from harvest units and potential slide areas.
 Dave Degenhardt, Oregon Department of Forestry
What we’re trying to do now is raise the consciousness of the operators that are working on the ground to the effects of roads, primarily on sedimentation. That’s why we put in a really thick layer of gravel on the road surface to prevent the creation of sediment that could be washed off into the ditches and then into the streams.
Narrator
Abandoned logging roads are another priority. They often require man-made water diversions that channel sediment onto the landscape, instead of into our streams.
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