Foresters, landowners and contractors across the state can now access the Texas Forestry Best Management Practices (BMP) Handbook on their mobile devices.

The free app, Texas Forestry BMPs, is available in both the App Store (iOS) and Google Play (Android).

It allows for quick access to conservation practices designed to protect soil and water resources when conducting forest operations. It also serves as a reference tool for reviewing the forestry BMP guidelines, as well as recommended specifications and schematics to ensure their proper implementation while in the field.

“Landowners and forestry professionals are increasingly using technology to manage their land,” said Texas A&M Forest Service Water Resources Coordinator Hughes Simpson. “This free, publicly accessible mobile app provides critical information to help them keep their land healthy, productive and sustainable.”

Texas Forestry BMPs includes a searchable glossary of forestry terms and built-in tools for measuring slope and tree heights. Using your smartphone’s GPS, the soil identifier tool can display a map and key properties of the soils in your specific area.