Forest Access Road and Firebreak Restoration Project: Hurricane Michael Relief Package

Description of the Event: On Tuesday, April 5th, and Wednesday, April 6th, a strong storm system produced multiple tornadoes, mainly across central and South Georgia. Georgia Forestry Commission management foresters and GIS foresters helped assess and map out the damage that occurred throughout the state. There
were 33 tornado touchdowns, with seven of the tornadoes causing timber damage that required an assessment.

Connecting with your Extension County Office can keep you up to date with events, programs, and services just for you.

USDA is here to help you prepare, recover, and build long-term resilience to natural disasters.

The USDA Disaster Resource Center offers information about specific disasters and emergencies, how to prepare, recover, and help build long-term resilience, as well as information about USDA assistance during disaster events.

The purpose of this Emergency Storm Response Plan is to help clarify the roles of municipal personnel and establish uniform operating procedures in response to tree damage during storm events.

View GA Map of disaster declaration by FEMA.

View acceptable debris management practices include chipping, grinding, root raking, piling, windrowing, pile burning, or other cost-effective methods to manage storm damage debris.

In addition to county offices, the state is parceled into eight different regions for GEMA and Homeland Security response.

The state’s preparedness, response and recovery agency works with public and private sector organizations to prevent and respond to natural and man-made emergencies.

Bill provides emergency disaster relief assistance for cleanup efforts for timberland owners, as well as emergency funding for state agencies and local governments in heaviest-impacted areas.

Read this resource to learn what steps to take to evaluate storm damage.

The goal of the Timber Impact Assessment survey is to determine the current overall damage to the forest in Georgia and to document widespread impacts to the region affected by hurricane conditions.

Check out this resource for the Do’s and Don’ts on how to manage damaged trees from a storm. Includes: how to hire a professional for clean up, chainsaw safety, pruning and maintenance for damaged trees and more.

A reference source for timberland landowners; also for accountants, attorneys, consulting foresters and other professionals who work with timberland owners regarding the tax treatment of timber related activities.

Selling timber is a relatively involved process even in the best of times, requiring patience and diligence so that
a good harvest and the best price can be achieved. Learn what to expect when selling.

Storms cause varying degrees of damage to forests and damage can be highly variable across affected areas of the landscape. Landowner objectives for the forest will help determine what actions are needed to restore the health and productivity of the forest resource. View steps to take after any storm.

Community Forest Storm Mitigation Plan for Georgia Communities Template

Community Forest Storm Mitigation Planning for Georgia Communities Workbook

On the evening of April 12 and the morning of April 13, 2020, Georgia was part of a severe weather event that extended across the Southeast. The National Weather Service confirmed that 30 tornadoes touched down across the state, ranging in levels from EF-0 to EF-3 and from 0.5 miles to approximately 17 miles long. These storms affected a number of landscapes across the state, including urban, suburban and rural areas.

More information about the Timber Tax Credit program from the Department of Revenue.

During a storm, trees are at risk and can cause significant damage to infrastructure and personal property. A storm mitigation plan keeps citizens safe and protects valuable urban forest canopy in the event of a natural disaster.

This video outlines the work of GFC’s Urban Forest Strike Team, which helps communities deal with the aftermath of severe storms.