Forest road attributes and best management practices (BMPs) influence sediment delivery at stream crossings. We quantified sediment delivered from 37 stream crossings on truck roads representing a spectrum of road quality and BMPs. Approaches were categorized into road/BMP quality ranks based on slope, template, distance to nearest water control structure, and level of surface armoring (BMP-low, BMP-standard, and BMP-high). Sediment traps installed at stream crossings were monitored bimonthly for one year. Mean sediment mass losses were low; 76 percent of approaches lost ≤ 0.1 Mg yr¹, and 94 percent of approaches lost ≤ 1 Mg yr⁻¹. Piedmont approaches provided greater (α ≤ 0.10) median sediment masses (0.04 Mg yr⁻¹) and rates (4.8 Mg ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹) than ridge and valley approaches (0.01 Mg yr⁻¹, 0.5 Mg ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹). Median sediment masses differed among road quality rankings (P ≤ 0.0011). Approaches of BMP-low, BMP-standard, and BMP-high produced median values of 0.45 Mg yr⁻¹, 0.02 Mg yr⁻¹, and 0.001 Mg yr⁻¹. Two BMP-low steam crossing approaches produced sediment masses >1 Mg yr⁻¹, and these sedimentation issues could have been mitigated by additional water control and additional cover of road templates. This research substantiates that appropriate BMP implementation at stream crossings can minimize stream sedimentation.

Poorly designed and maintained forest road stream crossings can directly link erosion sources to streams. Forestry best management practices (BMPs) provide techniques that are useful for preventing sedimentation associated with ditch erosion. However, few studies have quantified ditch BMP sediment reductions. Thus, our primary objective was to evaluate erosion control effectiveness due to ditch BMPs and secondarily to quantify ditch BMP implementation costs. Sixty ditch segments near stream crossings were reconstructed, and five ditch BMP treatments were applied using a completely randomized design resulting in 11 to 13 replications per treatment. Ditch BMP treatments were (1) bare ditch (Bare), (2) grass seed with lime fertilizer (Seed), (3) grass seed with lime fertilizer and erosion control mat (Mat), (4) rock check dams (Dam), and (5) completely rocked (Rock). Silt fence sediment traps and sediment pins were measured over one year to determine treatment effectiveness. Trapped sediment deposits indicated that median erosion rates were greatest for Dam (6.14 Mg ha⁻¹ y⁻¹ [2.74 tn ac⁻¹ yr⁻¹]), followed by Bare (4.92 Mg ha⁻¹ y⁻¹ [2.19 tn ac⁻¹ yr⁻¹]), Rock (1.73 Mg ha⁻¹ y⁻¹ [0.77 tn ac⁻¹ yr⁻¹]), Seed (1.04 Mg ha⁻¹ y⁻¹ [0.46 tn ac⁻¹ y⁻¹]), and Mat (0.82 Mg ha⁻¹ y⁻¹ [0.37 tn ac⁻¹ yr⁻¹]). Results suggested that Mat treatments had significantly lower erosion rates than Bare and Dam, while Rock and Seed provided intermediate levels. Costs of BMP treatments were least expensive for Seed (US$6.10 approach⁻¹), followed by Mat (US$21.33 approach⁻¹), Dam (US$71.43 approach⁻¹), and Rock (US$141.08 approach⁻¹). Results suggest that erosion began to accelerate disproportionately when bare soil levels were between 30% and 50%; therefore, minimum soil cover of 50% is recommended for ditches.

A rapid regeneration survey within twenty-four deepwater swamps between stand ages 2 and 14 years in the North Carolina coastal plain was conducted by using a narrow rectangular inventory technique (“strip cruise”). Inventoried tracts predominantly contained cypress (Taxodium distichum) and tupelo (Nyssa species) before being harvested via clearcutting methods. Single transects on each tract began at coordinates located in the interior of the harvest areas in locations representing general tract conditions. Each transect was perpendicular to the flow of the major stream drainage associated with the harvest area. Counts and measures of dead and live stumps and seed-sourced regeneration were recorded. About 52 percent of desirable timber species stumps tallied had coppice growth. However, coppice alone was not sufficient on any tract to exceed 1112 trees ha⁻¹. Seventy-one percent of tracts had stocking levels (coppice and seed source) at least 1112 trees ha⁻¹ of desirable timber species or black willow (Salix nigra). Across 24 tracts, 42 percent regenerated cypress and/or tupelo to levels exceeding 1112, trees ha⁻¹. This assessment revealed that forest regeneration success was limited on sites with altered hydrology, rampant invasive species, and/or lack of seed source. In some cases, active forest management may improve the regeneration cohort. Overall, shovel logging methods that were used on evaluated sites appear to be compatible with adequate regeneration of desirable timber species if the proper conditions exist. Additionally, we assessed species’ composition within a harvested stand measured at age eight years (a previous study) and age 68 years (measured for this study), for a comparison perspective. Results revealed a species composition change from willow at age eight years to a mixed stand of desirable timber species at age 68 years. This finding supports other studies that have recorded the successional pattern of pioneering willow shifting to desirable timber species as willow stagnates and diminishes in abundance due to natural mortality.