Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Units Program: Georgia
Education, Research and Technical Assistance for Managing Our Natural Resources

In the Southeastern United States, forestry is a major land use and an important component to the economy. Monitoring by state agencies has confirmed that generally, forestry Best Management Practices (BMP) are implemented at high rates (82% - 99%), but implementation varies by locale and BMP type. The distribution of aquatic at-risk species and their degree of imperilment also vary across the southern landscape. Some BMPs are effective in the protection of water quality, but information on the degree to which BMPs might support conservation of at-risk aquatic species is lacking. This information gap is especially acute in the southeastern US with its high degree of endemism and levels of imperilment for several species. Filling this critical information gap will provide a better understanding of the effectiveness of BMPs for protecting sensitive aquatic species and their habitat and will help to inform conservation measures.