Storm Damage Reports

- March, 2012 Tornadoes

- January, 2012 Tornadoes

- April, 2011 Tornadoes

- Timber Damage Report

- Tornadoes Impact Map

- Acres/Volume Damage

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Landowner Resources

The storms of 2011 and 2012 have devastated many landowners’ timber investments. The following are tips to help you cope with the loss and recovery of storm damage.

• Locate storm damage through Local AFC offices

  • Using free mapping programs such as Google Earth may help you in working with loggers and agency people to delineate affected areas.

• Contact service providers such as forestry consultants or loggers to help you harvest your timber

  • Ask about prices and timber markets, but your major concern is to get your timber cut as quickly as possible to realize some financial gain

  • Timber will degrade quickly in the higher temperatures

  • Timber with roots still in contact with the ground will degrade much slower than timber that is
    snapped off

• Report timber damage to local USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) office

  • Include lat/long or Section-Township-Range for mapping purposes

• Apply for reforestation monies available through federal cost share programs

  • Sign up for FSA Emergency Forest Restoration Program (EFRP)

  • FSA is currently applying for funding for this program

  • The time lag between application and receiving funding may take more than a year.

    • Typically, the harvested timber stand should lay out at least a year before replanting.
      See AFC Technician for recommendations.

• Emergency Watershed Protection(EWP) - It is not necessary for a national emergency to be declared for an area to be eligible for assistance. Activities include providing financial and technical assistance to remove debris from streams, protect destabilized streambanks, establish cover on critically eroding lands, repairing conservation practices, and the purchase of flood plain easements.  For more information contact your local NRCS office or visit: http://www.al.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/ewp/index.html

• Check with the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) for other reforestation cost share funding available through the EQIP, WHIP, and AACDCP programs.

• Search the FSA disaster program website for more information

• Contact a qualified accountant for income tax write-off for timber damage and loss.
  Additional forest management information on storm damage from the AFC website is listed below.

• If you are assessing the damage yourself be extremely cautious around material that is piled in a “jack straw” manner as this material may suddenly shift being under tension or compression.

• Also be aware of debris and limbs that may be suspended in surrounding tree tops that could suddenly fall and cause harm.

Webinars:

• Alabama Forest Recovery Task Force Webinar (New)

• Casualty Loss Webinar - "How to claim a timber casualty loss"

• Casualty Loss Webinar - "How to claim a shade tree casualty loss"

Podcasts:

• Interview with Dr. Mathew Smidt, Auburn University School of Forestry & Wildlife Science regarding forestry
  tornado damage

Publications/Links:

• Assessing Timber Damage

• Establishing Priorities for Salvaging

• Five Ways to Protect Your Forestland from Wildfire

• Forest Health Concerns Resulting from Storm-damaged Timber

• Forest Landowner Natural Disaster Desk Guide & Toolkit

• Selling Your Timber

• Timber Casualty Loss Tax Deduction-2011

• Timber Recovery Issues to Consider

• September - Timber Salvage Report (New)

• USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) -  Emergency Forest Restoration Program - Fact Sheet

• Utilization of Storm-damaged Timber

Websites/Links:

• Alabama Cooperative Extension System (ACES- Auburn University) - Recovery After Tornado & Storm Damaged Forested Land

• Alabama Forestry Commission County Office Contact Information

• Alabama Forestry Commission's Service Provider Database

• Alabama Forest Recovery Task Force

• FSA Disaster Program Information

• FSA - Emergency Forest Restoration Program

• National Timber Tax Website: Income Tax Deduction for Timber Casualty Loss

• Seedling Availability to Tornado Damage Victims

• Understanding Casualty Loss Deductions for Timber

• Wind Wood Utilization 

Safety Videos:

• Chainsaw Safety (produced by FEMA in cooperation with the Alabama Forestry Commission)

  • Debris Removal

  • Fueling

  • Protective Gear

  • Starting Your Saw

Urban | Wildland/Urban Interface | Homeowner Resources:

• Casualty Losses of Shade Trees and Landscaping (also see webinar listed above)

• Chainsaw Safety 101 (Published in the Alabama Forestry Commission's TREASURED Forest Magazine)

• Chainsaw Safety Tips (Published by the University of Georgia, Cooperative Extension)

• Evaluating Storm-damaged Landscape Trees

• Find a Tree Care Service

• 50 Ways To Protect Your Home

• Tornado Clean-Up Checklist

• Why Hire an Arborist

Additional Urban/WUI/Homeowner Resources

• FEMA

• State Resources and Links

• Trees and Hurricanes