Best Management Practices for Silvicultural Chemicals and the Science Behind Them

Silvicultural chemicals include fertilizers and pesticides applied for forest management. All states east of the Rockies have at least some form of silvicultural chemical best management practices (SCBMPs) and it is widely accepted that SCBMPs effect some protection of water quality. All SCBMPs recommend handling and application precautions and a minimum width streamside management zone (SMZ) on each side of streams for protection of water quality and aquatic ecosystems. Typically these zones increase in width as stream width increases. In areas where cold-water fish are present, additional widths are designated for their protection. Minimum SMZ widths range from 8 to 91 meters on each side of the stream bank for intermittent and perennial streams. Most SMZ recommendations do not cover ephemeral drainages, ditches or canals. SMZs are generally described as being site specific with width dependent on slope, soil type and other conditions as well as the stream's designation as perennial or intermittent. The science behind SCBMPs is often elusive. Spray drift can be controlled through proper selection and use of application technology while considering site specific conditions. SMZs greatly reduce the amount of herbicides reaching streams. Available toxicological data and research on aquatic ecosystem impacts from herbicide use suggest that additional protection from silvicultural chemicals may not be necessary. However, there is evidence to suggest that protection of ephemeral and intermittent channels can further reduce entry of silvicultural chemicals into streams and also reduce sedimentation. This may be the most fruitful area of research we can pursue in light of the knowledge gaps listed.     

Best management practices compliance monitoring approaches for forestry in the eastern United States

Many of the eastern states that have published best management practices (BMPs) or forest management guidelines have also developed compliance monitoring programs to assess the application of these BMPs or guidelines on public and private forest land. The approaches among these states to collecting on-site monitoring data (measuring compliance) and evaluating sites are variable. A survey of eastern states found that almost all southern states monitor application of BMPs, but proportionally fewer of the northern states have established compliance monitoring programs. The state forestry agencies provide the leadership for these programs in most of the eastern states. States that monitor tend to evaluate all public and private forest landowner categories located within their states. In general, northern states monitor a broader array of site resources (e.g., cultural resources, visual quality) as compared to southern states which focus on water quality and wetlands protection. However, northern states focus their monitoring on timber harvesting, forest road construction and maintenance as compared to southern states which tend to monitor a broader array of forest management activities (e.g., site preparation, reforestation). When selecting sites for monitoring, the most common approach is to select some sites from all landowner categories within the state. Many states do not specify any criteria to identify sites for monitoring so that all sites have an equal chance for selection. Some states do use specific criteria to filter sites for monitoring, most commonly size of forest management activity and proximity to water.     

An assessment of Mississippi's nonindustrial private forest landowners knowledge of forestry BMP's

This study examined the knowledge levels of Mississippi Non Industrial Private Forest (NIPF) landowners. Data were collected by passing out surveys to participants in Best Management Practices (BMP) educational programs held in conjunction with County Forestry Association (CFA) meetings across Mississippi. Ten CFA's participated in this study. Educational program participants were asked to fill out a survey with several demographic and BMP questions prior to the educational program. Results show that BMP program participants owned an average of 113 hectares, whereas the average Mississippi NIPF landowner owns 20 hectares. Responses to BMP related questions show that Mississippi NIPF landowners have a low level of knowledge concerning BMP's. This situation is likely similar to other states in the Southeastern United States. It can be assumed that county forestry association members are more active and informed about managing their forest land. Therefore, these results may overestimate the BMP knowledge level all landowners in Mississippi.Improved educational programs for NIPF landowners, along with better communication between foresters, loggers, and NIPF landowners are needed if BMP's are to be implemented effectively in Mississippi and across the southern region.     

Lightweight Concrete Containing an Alkaline Resistant Starch-Based Aquagel

Starch aquagel-based lightweight concrete has properties similar to those of other lightweight concrete products. However, starch aquagels are unstable in the strongly alkaline conditions typical of Portland Cement-based concrete and may interfere with the setting process. The effect of alkali treatments on the physical, mechanical, and functional properties of starch aquagels and aquagels from starch/polymer blends was investigated. Starch was blended at 100–115°C in a twin-screw extruder with five different polymers to determine whether the blends improved alkaline resistance. Polymer blends containing 5%, 15%, and 30% of the polymer hydrated and formed aquagels when equilibrated in water for 24 h. However, equilibrium moisture content was lower for the blends compared to the starch control. Aquagels equilibrated in 0.15 N NaOH swelled, lost compressive strength and had greater than 90% moisture. The blend of starch and 30% PVOH absorbed less moisture and was more resistant to alkaline dissolution in 1 N NaOH than the other blends tested making it a more suitable material for aquagel-based concrete. The moisture content of starch-based aquagels and mixing time were critical factors in determining setting times. The size of aquagel blends had a minor effect on density and compressive strength.     

Radiogenic Lead Isotopes and Time Stratigraphy in the Hudson River, New York

Radionuclide, radiogenic lead isotope and trace metal analyses on fine-grained sediment cores collected along 160 km of the upper and tidal Hudson River were used to examine temporal trends of contaminant loadings and to develop radiogenic lead isotopes both as a stratigraphic tool and as tracers for resolving decadal particle transport fluxes. Very large inputs of Cd, Sb, Pb, and Cr are evident in the sediment record, potentially from a single manufacturing facility. The total range in radiogenic lead isotope ratios observed in well-dated cores collected about 24 km downstream of the plant is large (e.g., maximum difference in ²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁷Pb is 10%), characterized by four major shifts occurring in the 1950s, 1960s, 1970s and 1980s. The upper Hudson signals in Cd and radiogenic lead isotopes were still evident in sediments collected 160 km downstream in the tidal Hudson. The large magnitude and abrupt shifts in radiogenic lead isotope ratios as a function of depth provide sensitive temporal constraints that complement information derived from radionuclide analyses to significantly improve the precision of dating assignments. Application of a simple dilution model to data from paired cores suggests much larger sediment inputs in one section of the river than previously reported, suggesting particle influxes to the Hudson have been underestimated.     

Measurements of PCB Fluxes into the Atmosphere from a Site Receiving Stabilized Dredged Material

A 50 ha known contaminated site in Bayonne, New Jersey, U.S.A. is permitted to receive up to 3 × 10⁶ m³ of sediment dredged from navigation channels in the New York/New Jersey Harbor. Much of the sediment is expected to contain low to moderate concentrations of industrial and agricultural chemicals, including Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs). The dredged material brought to the site is stabilized with cement and then placed as a capping and grading layer. The flux of PCBs from drying stabilized dredged material has been estimated from measurements of PCB air concentrations at two heights above the ground along with micrometeorological observations. A statistically significant gradient in PCB concentrations has been consistently measured in the first 3 m above the ground. Observed PCB fluxes were highest over freshly placed stabilized dredged sediment and decreased as it cured. The highest flux observed in this study was 7214 ng/m²/h, but during subsequent sampling intervals at the same site, the flux estimates decreased by an order of magnitude over a 5-day interval.     

Transition to self‐directed work teams: implications of transition time and self‐monitoring for managers' use of influence tactics

In the face of heightened competitive pressures, elevated quality expectations, and calls for worker empowerment, more and more organizations have turned to self‐directed work teams (SDWTs). A review of the literature devoted to SDWTs suggests that managers often struggle with the transition to SDWTs because of the required shift in control to SDWT members. To promote the development of work teams, managers must modify their use of influence tactics in direct response to the control shift. In this study, we explore changes in managers' usage of influence tactics during the transition to SDWTs within a large aluminum manufacturing plant. Analyses of longitudinal data show that despite the new team environment, managers' use of influence tactics was focused at the individual level. We also found that transition time accounts for variance in managers' choices of influence tactics. Finally, an exploratory analysis suggests that high as opposed to low self‐monitoring managers may be more prone to increase their usage of soft influence tactics and decrease their usage of hard influence tactics over the course of the transition; the influence behavior of low self‐monitoring managers remained unchanged. Implications for future research are discussed. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Transformational leadership and organizational commitment: mediating role of psychological empowerment and moderating role of structural distance

Using a sample of 520 staff nurses employed by a large public hospital in Singapore, we examined whether psychological empowerment mediated the effects of transformational leadership on followers' organizational commitment. We also examined how structural distance (direct and indirect leadership) between leaders and followers moderated the relationship between transformational leadership and organizational commitment. Results from HLM analyses showed that psychological empowerment mediated the relationship between transformational leadership and organizational commitment. Similarly, structural distance between the leader and follower moderated the relationship between transformational leadership and organizational commitment. Implications for research and practice of our findings are discussed. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Client–project manager engagements,trust, and loyalty

This study addresses the behaviors of project managers under various conditions of cognitive and affective trust, and the implications for obtaining client loyalty. Theoretical foundations were drawn from interpersonal and interorganizational trust literature. A test of the proposed theoretical framework was conducted in a field setting utilizing a matched design of both project managers and their clients. The results show that reliable project performance positively impacted client loyalty intentions and service‐oriented OCBs positively impacted client secondary retention. An interaction showed that in low cognitive trust situations the project manager behavior of reliable project performance facilitated the obtainment of client loyalty intentions. Implications for research and practice are discussed. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Evidence of integration of air quality management in the decision-making processes and procedures of English local government

The air quality management (AQM) framework in the UK is a risk management approach using effects-based objectives for air pollutants to determine the need for action. The Environment Act 1995 required a National Air Quality Strategy to be published, setting out health-based standards and objectives for eight pollutants, of which seven are to managed at a local scale. Because of the variety of sources of air pollution, if the AQM process is to succeed in the long term, solutions to identified problems will be required from transport, land use and economic planning sectors of local government in liaison with various other agencies, regulators and outside bodies. As such the task is inherently multi-disciplinary and an integrated, collaborative approach will be necessary. Although this observation is now fairly well documented, there is still little guidance relating to how, in relation to air quality management, integration can actually be accomplished. This paper presents some observations from case studies undertaken as part of a longer-term research study and in particular focuses on the identified problems of involving non-air-quality professionals in a highly technical scientific process. Various approaches to the collaborative aspects of air quality management will be presented. These case studies represent local authorities of different sizes in different political and organisational situations facing a range of air quality challenges. The creation of project teams or task forces is judged particularly useful for local air quality management. Methods that could be applied more widely include appointing individuals as integrators, and rotation of key personnel.