FORESTRY

The Yazoo-Mississippi Delta Levee Board Forestry Department includes a full time, licensed forester for the proper oversight and management of the timber on the YMD Levee Board right-of-way riverside of the mainline levee. Management of the timber is a demanding, unique challenge. It combines normal forestry practices within the engineering requirements of the utilization of the timber as a screen to protect the levee from the forces of the river during high stages. The Forestry Department has developed a unique skill in balancing timber harvest and species selection for regeneration. This protects the levee structure while at the same time maximizing the return from the timber for use in the YMD Levee Board's flood control mission. In addition to an aggressive tree planting program, the Forestry Department utilizes the YMD Levee Board's operational resources in a continuous program of improvement to the timber stand on YMD Levee Board right of way. A trained technician aids in the vital role of varmint control, which is essential in maintaining the levee structure.