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6 Needs for Additional Research

· Additional documentation of the scientific basis for BMPs and studies of BMP effectiveness are needed to evaluate them in representative ecological provinces in the South. Key topical areas should include stream crossings, SMZ harvesting options, and overall SMZ management. Chemical, physical and biological water-quality parameters and stream channel stability indices should be documented for different stream types.




· Reasons that landowners comply or do not comply with BMPs are not well understood. Additional information of this kind would be useful for targeting outreach efforts and adjusting state programs.




· Resource benefits provided by BMPs other than water-quality protection should be studied and documented. This information would be useful for encouraging landowner acceptance and could identify needed modifications in BMPs.




· Effects of nontimber uses of forests, such as off-road vehicle use and equestrian crossings, are not well documented, but are potentially significant. Effects of these uses may be similar to those of roads and skid trails (concentrated traffic in small, potentially high impact areas). Science-based BMPs could be tailored for these and other common forest uses.




· Economic costs of BMPs to landowners are not well understood, and should be documented.