Month: September 2023

As the world grapples with impacts from climate changes and increasing natural resource scarcity, the pursuit of a sustainable future is more critical than ever. As such, it is important to explore innovative solutions that support responsible natural resource utilization, including the reduction of power consumption in all aspects of our daily lives.

One such solution resides at the intersection of technology and our homes – smart home technology. If developed and delivered to expectations, smart home systems could revolutionize the way we manage, and reduce, home energy consumption. However, the quality of these solutions is critical to optimize their power management capabilities and ultimately drive a more sustainable future.

Span of Household Energy Consumption

Look around your home right now and consider all the things that use energy. The most obvious contributors to home energy use are, of course, heating and cooling. But there are also lights, televisions, game systems, mobile device recharging stations, alarm systems, and any number of appliances from refrigerators and coffee makers to clocks and toys.

Independently quantifying and managing the energy use of each of these household items is difficult. You may remember to turn the thermostat down when heating isn’t necessary, but do you remember to turn it up when air conditioning is not needed? How about leaving the house and forgetting to turn off the lights? Separately these instances may seem to have little impact on energy use, but when considered collectively these incremental impacts can really add up. Particularly across years of living in a home.

If you could be reminded to adjust the thermostat or turn off unneeded lights, and have the ability do so remotely, energy consumption could be lowered significantly over time. This is where smart home technology can provide a path toward a sustainable future.

Role of Technology in Home Energy Management

Smart home-enabled devices, appliances, and systems are designed to communicate with each other, integrate and analyze usage data, and communicate to the homeowner to help them make informed decisions about energy use. The connected nature of smart homes also drives automation capabilities and remote access to directly manage household energy use. For example:

Smart thermostats optimize heating and cooling by learning homeowner behaviors and adjusting temperature settings accordingly to maintain comfort while minimizing energy use.Smart and energy-efficient lighting systems can be automatically turned off or have brightness levels adjusted to optimize energy use.Smart appliances and smart plugs can automate power when devices are not in use, preventing unnecessary standby power consumption.Integrated energy monitoring from connected devices enables homeowners to track energy use in real-time, allowing them to informed decisions about their consumption.While not a smart home device specifically, integration of renewable energy sources, such as solar panels, into the smart home ecosystem can enable further energy management by prioritizing renewable energy over grid-supplied electricity.

Quality of Smart Home Technologies Factor into Sustainability Impact

As smart home solutions proliferate, there is a lot that goes into delivering them. Beyond traditional appliances, smart-enabled devices for the home face a host of new technology requirements that go beyond standard product testing to now span networking, automation, and energy optimization.

From a sustainability perspective, any energy reduction from smart home technologies is only as good as the system, network, and associated devices that enable it. As such, high quality product development is critical to the down-stream energy savings potential. Before the elements of a smart home system even enter your home, they are designed, developed, and tested to ensure they can deliver to expectations and ultimately enable the mechanism for optimal energy management.

While there are many underlying technologies that make up the smart home solution market, some key areas of focus for enabling quality solutions before they get to the consumer include:

Ensuring reliable wireless connectivity to the internet to manage data integration, communications, and automation.Validating that devices are designed and able to support the appropriate wireless standards for system implementation.Optimizing the power consumption of battery-operated smart devices, where current drain testing is essential.Assessing technologies, networks, and devices under real-world conditions because consumers expect them to operate as promised in the home environment.

Intersection of Quality and Smart Home Technologies Enables Path Toward a Sustainable Future

Embracing smart home technology provides a pathway to a more sustainable future. By leveraging the power of automation, data analysis, and intelligent decision-making, high quality smart systems can help lower home energy consumption and drive a collective positive impact on global energy use.

As such, I am happy to work for a company at the intersection of cutting-edge technology and smart home solutions. At Keysight, we provide leading-edge development and test solutions that help deliver high quality smart home devices and systems.

It is incredibly rewarding to support technologies that help us all manage the environmental impact of home energy use and provide a pathway to a more sustainable tomorrow.

PITTSBURGH and BANGALORE, India, September 5, 2023 /3BL/ – Viatris Inc. (NASDAQ: VTRS), a global healthcare company, today announced U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) tentative approval for a New Drug Application for abacavir 60 mg/dolutegravir 5 mg/lamivudine 30 mg tablets for oral suspension for the treatment of HIV-1 infection in paediatric patients.

The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends abacavir/dolutegravir/lamivudine as a preferred first-line regimen for paediatric patients. According to the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), treatment coverage for children and adolescents lags behind adults. Some 660,000 children living with HIV – about 43 percent of the estimated total 1.5 million [1.2 million–2.1 million] children living with HIV – did not receive antiretroviral (ARV) therapy in 2022. Accordingly, children accounted for 13 per cent of AIDS-related deaths in 2022, even though they comprise only about 4 percent of people living with HIV.

The fixed-dose combination of abacavir 60 mg/dolutegravir 5 mg/lamivudine 30 mg tablets for oral suspension is indicated for the treatment of HIV-1 infection in paediatric patients weighing at least 6 kg. The fixed-dose combination tablets for oral suspension are strawberry-flavoured. Historically, it has been challenging to treat paediatric HIV patients because children require special medicine formulations.

The FDA’s tentative approval through the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) program means the formulation meets all the agency’s quality, safety, and efficacy standards. Viatris has signed a licensing agreement for paediatric dolutegravir from the Medicines Patent Pool (MPP) and development agreement with ViiV Healthcare (ViiV) and the Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI) for producing and distributing the fixed-dose combination of abacavir/ dolutegravir/lamivudine.

Rakesh Bamzai, President of India, Emerging Asia & Access Markets at Viatris, said, “At Viatris, we have expanded access at scale to high-quality HIV/AIDS treatment for more than a decade. Over the years, we have continued to seek improvements to existing molecules to better meet patient needs – we have introduced novel heat-stable generic formulations, more convenient packaging options, and paediatric therapies. We have also built strong partnerships with multiple stakeholders to improve access to ARVs, with particular attention to vulnerable populations like children. The approval of this single tablet regimen – the fixed-dose combination of abacavir 60 mg/dolutegravir 5 mg/lamivudine 30 mg – will reduce the pill burden for children living with HIV.”

This milestone supports the company’s sustainability goal to provide ARV therapy equivalent to a total of 30 million patients, including more than 2 million children living with HIV/AIDS, between 2022 and the end of 2025.

The fixed-dose combination of abacavir/dolutegravir/lamivudine is approved for once-daily treatment of paediatric patients weighing at least 6 kg to <25 kg with HIV-1 infection and the recommended dose of the fixed-dose combination of abacavir/dolutegravir/lamivudine tablets for oral suspension is determined according to weight. The fixed-dose combination of abacavir/dolutegravir/lamivudine are contraindicated in patients with a prior hypersensitivity reaction to abacavir and in HLAB*5701-positive patients. The tentative approval facilitates regulatory authority submissions, production and distribution of the new child friendly formulation across 123 low- and middle-income countries as per the license agreement.

About the fixed-dose combination of abacavir/dolutegravir/lamivudine tablets for oral suspension 
Abacavir/dolutegravir/lamivudine is a fixed-dose combination containing two nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs) and integrase strand transfer inhibitor (INSTI). NRTIs interfere with the action of the reverse transcriptase enzyme and INSTI interferes with the action of integrase enzyme to prevent the virus from replicating. All patients with HIV-1 should be tested for the presence of hepatitis B virus (HBV) prior to or when initiating the fixed-dose combination of abacavir 60 mg/dolutegravir 5 mg/lamivudine 30 mg as severe acute exacerbations of HBV have been reported in patients who are co-infected with HBV and HIV-1 and have discontinued the medication.

Abacavir/dolutegravir/lamivudine was approved in the US on 30 March 2022 under the brand name Triumeq PD.

Triumeq PD is registered trademark of the ViiV Healthcare group of companies.

About Viatris 
Viatris Inc. (NASDAQ: VTRS) is a global healthcare company empowering people worldwide to live healthier at every stage of life. We provide access to medicines, advance sustainable operations, develop innovative solutions and leverage our collective expertise to connect more people to more products and services through our one-of-a-kind Global Healthcare Gateway®. Formed in November 2020, Viatris brings together scientific, manufacturing and distribution expertise with proven regulatory, medical, and commercial capabilities to deliver high-quality medicines to patients in more than 165 countries and territories. Viatris’ portfolio comprises more than 1,400 approved molecules across a wide range of therapeutic areas, spanning both non-communicable and infectious diseases, including globally recognized brands, complex generic and branded medicines, and a variety of over-the-counter consumer products. With more than 38,000 colleagues globally, Viatris is headquartered in the U.S., with global centers in Pittsburgh, Shanghai and Hyderabad, India. Learn more at viatris.com and investor.viatris.com, and connect with us on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and YouTube.

Important Safety Information (ISI) for the fixed-dose combination of abacavir 600 mg/dolutegravir 50 mg/lamivudine 300 mg tablets and the fixed-dose combination of abacavir 60 mg/dolutegravir 5 mg/lamivudine 30 mg tablets for oral suspension.

INDICATION 
The fixed-dose combination of abacavir 60 mg/dolutegravir 5 mg/lamivudine 30 mg tablets for oral suspension is indicated for the treatment of HIV-1 infection in paediatric patients aged at least 3 months weighing at least 6 kg. to less than 25 kgs.

Limitations of Use: 
The fixed-dose combination of abacavir 60 mg/dolutegravir 5 mg/lamivudine 30 mg tablets for oral suspension is not recommended in patients with resistance-associated integrase substitutions or clinically suspected INSTI resistance because the dose of dolutegravir in the fixed-dose combination of abacavir 60 mg/dolutegravir 5 mg/lamivudine 30 mg is insufficient in these subpopulations. See full prescribing information for dolutegravir.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION

BOXED WARNING: HYPERSENSITIVITY REACTIONS AND EXACERBATIONS OF HEPATITIS B VIRUS (HBV)

Hypersensitivity Reactions: 
Serious and sometimes fatal hypersensitivity reactions, with multiple organ involvement, have occurred with abacavir, a component of the fixed-dose combination of abacavir 60 mg/dolutegravir 5 mg/lamivudine 30 mg. 
Patients who carry the HLA-B*5701 allele are at a higher risk of experiencing a hypersensitivity reaction to abacavir, although hypersensitivity reactions have occurred in patients who do not carry the HLA-B*5701 allele. 
The fixed-dose combination of abacavir 60 mg/dolutegravir 5 mg/lamivudine 30 mg are contraindicated in patients with a prior hypersensitivity reaction to abacavir and in HLAB*5701-positive patients. All patients should be screened for the HLA-B*5701 allele prior to initiating therapy or re-initiation of therapy with the fixed-dose combination of abacavir 60 mg/dolutegravir 5 mg/lamivudine 30 mg unless patients have a previously documented HLA-B*5701 allele assessment.

Discontinue the fixed-dose combination of abacavir 60 mg/dolutegravir 5 mg/lamivudine 30 mg immediately if a hypersensitivity reaction is suspected, regardless of HLA-B*5701 status and even when other diagnoses are possible.

Following a hypersensitivity reaction to the fixed-dose combination of abacavir 60 mg/dolutegravir 5 mg/lamivudine 30 mg, NEVER restart the fixed-dose combination of abacavir 60 mg/dolutegravir 5 mg/lamivudine 30 mg tablets for oral suspension or any other abacavir-containing product.

Exacerbations of Hepatitis B: 
All patients with HIV-1 should be tested for the presence of hepatitis B virus (HBV) prior to or when initiating the fixed-dose combination of abacavir 60 mg/dolutegravir 5 mg/lamivudine 30 mg. Emergence of lamivudine-resistant HBV variants associated with lamivudine-containing antiretroviral regimens has been reported. If the fixed-dose combination of abacavir 60 mg/dolutegravir 5 mg/lamivudine 30 mg is used in patients co-infected with HIV-1 and HBV, additional treatment should be considered for appropriate treatment of chronic HBV; otherwise, consider an alternative regimen.

Severe acute exacerbations of HBV have been reported in patients who are co-infected with HBV and HIV-1 and have discontinued lamivudine, a component of the fixed-dose combination of abacavir 60 mg/dolutegravir 5 mg/lamivudine 30 mg. Monitor hepatic function closely in these patients and, if appropriate, initiate anti-hepatitis B treatment.

Contraindications 
Do not use the fixed-dose combination of abacavir 60 mg/dolutegravir 5 mg/lamivudine 30 mg in patients who have the HLA-B*5701 allele.

Do not use the fixed-dose combination of abacavir 60 mg/dolutegravir 5 mg/lamivudine 30 mg in patients with previous hypersensitivity reaction to abacavir, dolutegravir, or lamivudine.

Do not use the fixed-dose combination of abacavir 60 mg/dolutegravir 5 mg/lamivudine 30 mg in patients receiving dofetilide.

Do not use the fixed-dose combination of abacavir 60 mg/dolutegravir 5 mg/lamivudine 30 mg in patients with moderate or severe hepatic impairment.

Warnings and precautions

Hypersensitivity Reactions: 
Hypersensitivity reactions have been reported with dolutegravir and were characterized by rash, constitutional findings, and sometimes organ dysfunction, including liver injury.

Clinically, it is not possible to determine whether a hypersensitivity reaction with the fixed-dose combination of abacavir 60 mg/dolutegravir 5 mg/lamivudine 30 mg would be caused by abacavir or dolutegravir.

Discontinue the fixed-dose combination of abacavir 60 mg/dolutegravir 5 mg/lamivudine 30 mg immediately if signs or symptoms of hypersensitivity reactions develop, as a delay in stopping treatment may result in a life-threatening reaction. Clinical status, including liver aminotransferases, should be monitored and appropriate therapy initiated.

Hepatotoxicity: 
Hepatic adverse events have been reported, including cases of hepatic toxicity (elevated serum liver biochemistries, hepatitis, and acute liver failure), in patients receiving a dolutegravir-containing regimen without pre-existing hepatic disease or other identifiable risk factors.

Patients with underlying hepatitis B or C may be at increased risk for worsening or development of transaminase elevations with use of the fixed-dose combination of abacavir 60 mg/dolutegravir 5 mg/lamivudine 30 mg. In some cases, the elevations in transaminases were consistent with immune reconstitution syndrome or hepatitis B reactivation, particularly in the setting where anti-hepatitis therapy was withdrawn.

Drug-induced liver injury leading to liver transplant has been reported with the fixed-dose combination of abacavir/dolutegravir/lamivudine.

Monitoring for hepatotoxicity is recommended.

Lactic Acidosis and Severe Hepatomegaly with Steatosis: 
Fatal cases have been reported with the use of nucleoside analogues, including abacavir and lamivudine.

Discontinue the fixed-dose combination of abacavir 60 mg/dolutegravir 5 mg/lamivudine 30 mg if clinical or laboratory findings suggestive of lactic acidosis or pronounced hepatotoxicity develop, including hepatomegaly and steatosis in the absence of marked transaminase elevations.

Embryo-Fetal Toxicity: 
Assess the risks and benefits of the fixed-dose combination of abacavir/dolutegravir/lamivudine and discuss with the patient to determine if alternative treatments should be considered at the time of conception through the first trimester of pregnancy due to the risk of neural tube defects.

Pregnancy testing is recommended before use of the fixed-dose combination of abacavir/dolutegravir/lamivudine. Adolescents and adults of childbearing potential should be counseled on the consistent use of effective contraception.

The fixed-dose combination of abacavir/dolutegravir/lamivudine may be considered during the second and third trimesters of pregnancy if the expected benefit justifies the potential risk to the pregnant woman and the fetus.

Adverse Reactions or Loss of Virologic Response Due to Drug Interactions with concomitant use of the fixed-dose combination of abacavir 60 mg/dolutegravir 5 mg/lamivudine 30 mg and other drugs may occur (see Contraindications and Drug Interactions).

Immune Reconstitution Syndrome, including the occurrence of autoimmune disorders with variable time to onset, has been reported with the use of fixed-dose combination of abacavir 60 mg/dolutegravir 5 mg/lamivudine 30 mg.

Different Formulations Are Not Interchangeable: 
The fixed-dose combination of abacavir 600 mg/dolutegravir 50 mg/lamivudine 300 mg tablets and the fixed-dose combination of abacavir 60 mg/dolutegravir 5 mg/lamivudine 30 mg tablets for oral suspension are not bioequivalent and are not interchangeable on a milligram-per-milligram basis. If a patient switches from one formulation to the other, the dose must be adjusted.

Myocardial Infarction (MI): 
Several observational studies have reported an association with the use of abacavir and the risk of MI; meta-analyses of randomized controlled clinical trials did not show increased risk. To date, there is no established biological mechanism to explain a potential increase in risk. In totality, the available data show inconsistency; therefore, evidence for a causal relationship between abacavir and the risk of MI is inconclusive.

The underlying risk of coronary heart disease should be considered when prescribing antiretroviral therapies, including abacavir, and action taken to minimize all modifiable risk factors (e.g., hypertension, hyperlipidemia, diabetes mellitus, smoking).

Adverse reactions: 
The most common adverse reactions (incidence ≥2%, Grades 2-4) in treatment-naïve adults receiving the fixed-dose combination of abacavir 600 mg/dolutegravir 50 mg/lamivudine 300 mg tablets were insomnia (3%), headache (2%), and fatigue (2%).

Drug interactions: 
Consult the full Prescribing Information for more information on potentially significant drug interactions.

Use in specific populations: 
Pregnancy: Assess the risks and benefits of the fixed-dose combination of abacavir 600 mg/dolutegravir 50 mg/lamivudine 300 mg tablets and discuss with the patient to determine if an alternative treatment should be considered at the time of conception through the first trimester or if pregnancy is confirmed in the first trimester due to the risk of neural tube defects.

Lactation: Breastfeeding is not recommended due to the potential for HIV-1 transmission, developing viral resistance in HIV-positive infants, and adverse reactions in a breastfed infant.

Impaired Renal Function: the fixed-dose combination of abacavir 60 mg/dolutegravir 5 mg/lamivudine 30 mg are not recommended for patients with creatinine clearance <30 mL/min. Patients with a sustained creatinine clearance between 30 and 49 mL/min should be monitored for hematologic toxicities, which may require a dosage adjustment of lamivudine as an individual component.

Impaired Hepatic Function: If a dose reduction of abacavir is required for patients with mild hepatic impairment, then the individual components of the fixed-dose combination of abacavir 60 mg/dolutegravir 5 mg/lamivudine 30 mg tablets should be used.

References:

Consolidated guidelines on HIV prevention, testing, treatment, service delivery and monitoring: Recommendations for a public health approachThe path that ends AIDS: UNAIDS Global AIDS Update 2023

Forward-Looking Statements 
This press release includes statements that constitute “forward-looking statements.” These statements are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward looking statements may include statements that tentative approval will help enhance access to WHO-recommended paediatric regimen with the goal of improved adherence of HIV treatment for children in low- and middle-income countries; the approval of this single tablet regimen – the fixed-dose combination of abacavir 60 mg/dolutegravir 5 mg/lamivudine 30 mg – will reduce the pill burden for children living with HIV; and the milestone supports the company’s sustainability goal to provide ARV therapy equivalent to a total of 30 million patients, including more than 2 million children living with HIV/AIDS, between 2022 and the end of 2025. Factors that could cause or contribute to such differences include, but are not limited to: actions and decisions of healthcare and pharmaceutical regulators; changes in healthcare and pharmaceutical laws and regulations in the U.S. and abroad; any regulatory, legal or other impediments to Viatris’ ability to bring new products to market, including but not limited to “at-risk” launches; Viatris’ or its partners’ ability to develop, manufacture, and commercialize products; the possibility that the Company may be unable to realize the intended benefits of, or achieve the intended goals or outlooks with respect to, its strategic initiatives; the possibility that the Company may be unable to achieve expected benefits, synergies and operating efficiencies in connection with acquisitions, divestitures, or its global restructuring program, within the expected timeframe or at all; impairment charges or other losses related to the divestiture or sale of businesses or assets; the Company’s failure to achieve expected or targeted future financial and operating performance and results; the potential impact of public health outbreaks, epidemics and pandemics, including the ongoing challenges and uncertainties posed by COVID-19; the scope, timing and outcome of any ongoing legal proceedings, and the impact of any such proceedings; any significant breach of data security or data privacy or disruptions to our information technology systems; risks associated with international operations; the ability to protect intellectual property and preserve intellectual property rights; changes in third-party relationships; the effect of any changes in Viatris’ or its partners’ customer and supplier relationships and customer purchasing patterns; the impacts of competition; changes in the economic and financial conditions of Viatris or its partners; uncertainties and matters beyond the control of management, including general economic conditions, inflation and exchange rates; failure to execute stock repurchases consistent with current expectations; stock price volatility; and the other risks described in Viatris’ filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Viatris routinely uses its website as a means of disclosing material information to the public in a broad, non-exclusionary manner for purposes of the SEC’s Regulation Fair Disclosure (Reg FD). Viatris undertakes no obligation to update these statements for revisions or changes after the date of this release other than as required by law.

SOURCE Viatris Inc.

For further information: Contacts: Media: +1.724.514.1968, Communications@viatris.com; Jennifer Mauer, Jennifer.Mauer@viatris.com; Matt Klein, Matthew.Klein@viatris.com; Investors: +1.724.514.1813, InvestorRelations@viatris.com; Bill Szablewski, William.Szablewski@viatris.com

Originally published on DICK’S Sporting Goods Sideline Report

At a recent hockey clinic in Nashville, Tennessee, a young girl named Zebobegim Shamsieva was allowed to share some special news with her fellow Play Like a Girl members as she read a note from The DICK’S Sporting Goods Foundation. The girls all started hooting and hollering when they heard that Play Like a Girl was being given $75,000 as part of the 75for75 Sports Matter Grant Program.

Zebobegim came to the US in 2020 from Uzbekistan, and she was unable to speak much English and was in search of a group that could help her assimilate into a new country. She found that home with Play Like a Girl.

“She has overcome so much and is now one of the most stellar students in the program. She finished this year as the top student in her school, which is just remarkable when you look at where she was just three years ago,” said Dr. Kimberly Clay, the Founder & CEO of Play Like a Girl. “It was extra special to have her be the one to actually read the news to the other girls because she has such joy and enthusiasm and was just so happy to be involved.”

Started in 2004 while Dr. Kim was pursuing her Ph.D. at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, Play Like a Girl has made a difference in the lives of thousands of middle school girls while seeking to level the playing field for girls everywhere.

“The intention of the program was to really get girls in the game, keep them active and playing in the game because we recognize that girls dropped out of sport at twice the rate of boys going into high school,” said Dr. Kim.

The program’s focus shifted after a 2016 study by Ernst & Young and ESPNW showed that 94% of women executives have a background in sports.

“We decided to introduce STEM as an outcome, recognizing that our support could be a catalyst for good health and behavior,” said Dr. Kim. “It also could be a catalyst for really changing the trajectory of girls’ lives by getting them into these competitive male-dominated careers in the STEM space.”

Darla Enoch, Senior Community Marketing Manager at DICK’S Sporting Goods, was part of the group that presented Play Like a Girl with the Sports Matter grant, and the all-encompassing impact that the organization was having blew her away.

“It’s not just sports. It’s education; it is mentorship. This is the whole package for these girls,” said Enoch. “They really leverage the skills that girls gain from sports, that confidence, teamwork, and camaraderie to give them an edge in the classroom.”

The grant money will help Play Like a Girl underwrite its sports programs so that every girl can participate in any sport, mentoring, or educational program they want at no cost to her or her family. As they look to grow their impact Play Like a Girl will launch new volunteer-led clubs in communities nationwide this October as part of a yearlong countdown to its 20th anniversary.

This grant’s impact was evident as the girls celebrated the announcement.

“This was an impactful moment for the girls in our program because they understand the power of money,” said Dr. Kim. “They reacted strongly because they understand what $75,000 can do for our program. That can help get computers, that can help get them hockey sticks and uniforms, it can help open doors for them.”

The 75for75 Sports Matter Grant Program was launched in March in support of DICK’S Sports Change Lives campaign and in honor of the company’s 75th anniversary. The program was developed to provide 75 grants worth $75,000 each to under-resourced youth sports programs across the country.

To learn more and support the 75for75 Sports Matter Grant Program and The DICK’S Sporting Goods Foundation, visit www.sportsmatter.org.

For media inquiries related to this story, contact press@dcsg.com.

Over 50 percent of the nation’s drinking water originates from forests and timberland owners play an important role in protecting water quality. The role of water quality BMPs is to conserve and protect water quality by minimizing sediment through the filtering ability of natural vegetation and erosion control measures adjacent to water bodies. BMPs include practices such as leaving streamside management zones (SMZs) during harvest, properly designing and constructing logging roads, and using logging methods and equipment that protect water quality.

SMZs are unharvested or lightly harvested buffers that run along the length of streams and are designed to capture runoff and sediment. The SMZs provide significant other benefits, including stabilizing the banks of streams and acting as a source of food for aquatic organisms. By retaining trees alongside the streams, SMZs also shade the water’s surface from direct sunlight and significantly reduce radiative heating, keeping streams cool and clear, a particularly important objective in northern regions where cold-water fisheries are present. Riparian areas are important habitats for wildlife species and SMZs can provide wildlife with favorable habitat and travel corridors.

“Our foresters and logging contractors install SMZs along streams during harvesting and maintain them throughout the forest growth cycle. Our operational monitoring and third-party forest certification audits verify our SMZ implementation and compliance, and we are proud of the water quality protection we achieve.”

Kit Hart
Director Forest Planning and Environment,
PotlatchDeltic