Storm Recovery

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Storm Recovery
David V. Bloniarz USDA Forest Service Northern
Research Station
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Storm Recovery
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The 4 Phases of Emergency Management
Response
Planning
Recovery
Mitigation
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Recovery

• Actions Taken To Return To Normal Or An Even
  Better and Safer Condition After an Emergency
• Recovery Includes Both Tree Related And Program
  Related Activities

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Recovery Part 1. Tree Related Recovery Activities

• Do Tree Damage Assessment
• Remove High Risk Trees
• Prune High Risk Trees
• Other Tree Maintenance?

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Tree Damage Assessments

• Estimate Amount of Damage
• Helps Plan Recovery
• Prioritize Neighborhoods Needing Work
• Identify High Risk Trees for Removal and Pruning
• Identify other Tree Care Work

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i-Tree Storms (SDAP) Storm Damage Assessment

• Assess storm damage in a credible, and efficient
  manner immediately after a severe storm.
• Provides information on the time and funds needed
  to mitigate storm damage.

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Storm Response Strike Team

• Recruit Train Tree Professionals
• Deploy Crews To Disasters Areas
• Crews Do Complete Street by Street Assessments
• Efficiently plan needed tree work
• Document FEMA reimbursement
• Flexible Can be designed to fit community needs

USFS NA State and Private Forestry
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Identify - Remove High Risk Trees(Hazards)

• Arboricultural Standards
• Target
• Probablity of Failure
• Size

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CROWN DAMAGE vs. Survival
50 75 Survive with varying degrees of
defects
lt50 HIGH chance of survival
gt75 LOW chance of survival
Maple 35
50
80
Birch 40
85
65
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Pruning Hazard Limbs

• Remove broken, hanging stems so that branches do
  not fall and cause injury.

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Repair Wounds
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Bent Trees
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Leaning/ Uprooted Trees

• 4 inches trunk diameter
• Water or cover with tarp
• Remove soil on uprooted side
• Straighten with winch
• Protect the trunk and roots
• Replace soil and stake
• Tamp and water well

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Debris Removal Estimates
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Look for Invasive InsectSigns and Symptoms
Shiny black body
White or yellowish spots
¾ - 1¼ inches long
USFS NA State and Private Forestry
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Long-term RecoveryAvoid Further Stress

• Monitor for insect and disease problems
• Protect from construction damage, soil
  compaction and other damage
• Water, mulch and maintain as needed to help them
  recover

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Recovery Part 2. Program Activities

• Clean-up Debris /Sites
• Continue To Keep Records
• Review Existing Policies
• Update Tree Inventory
• Evaluate Plans
• Seek Financial Assistance
• Evaluate Response

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Debris Management Clean-up

• Debris Staging Areas - Removal
• Debris Removal From Private Property
• Routes And Schedules
• FEMA
• Wood Utilization Options

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Wood Utilization
In one year, logs from more than 200 cottonwood
trees killed by floods on a local golf course
were sold to a local sawmill and a firewood
processor.
Marketing trees blown down in a windstorm turned
a potential financial disaster into 78,000
revenue through the sale of pulpwood, saw logs,
and firewood permits.
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Communications/ Education

• Work with Media
• Press Releases On Proper Pruning
• Tree Planting Events
• Provide information and Education to Citizens
• Teachable Moment
• Communications Between
• Town Departments
• Training for Staff

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Re-Evaluate Plans Policies

• Urban forestry management plan
• Community tree risk management plan
• Storm damage assessment
• Public Tree Ordinance

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Engage Citizen Volunteers

• Planting
• Pruning
• Education
• Fund-raising

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Tree Planting Inventory Available Tree
PlantingSpaces for Reforestation

• Planting Space
• Utilities Present
• Species of Tree
• Develop Planting Plan
• Fundraising

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Look for Partners to Support Reforestation Program
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Record Keeping

• Damage Assessment And Survey Reports
• Budget
• Financial Assistance
• Photographs, Video

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Evaluate Response at All Levels

• How Can we do it better next time?
• Local ?
• County ?
• State ?
• Regional ?
• National

Revise Tree Emergency Plan
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