Hurricane Resilience - Reforestation
In recent months, two major hurricanes devastated the Gulf Coast and Southeast. Spanning 400 miles in diameter, Hurricane Helene brought 42 trillion gallons of total rainfall and hundreds of tornadoes from Florida to Virginia. Weeks later, Hurricane Milton caused significant damage to Florida with wind gusts of 105 miles per hour, 18 inches of rain, and at least 46 confirmed tornadoes.
In the aftermath of these historic storms, forestland owners are still working to assess the impact and damage. This consists of an extensive inventory to identify the proportion of trees that were snapped or uprooted by the 100+ mph winds or damage by floodwaters. Forest owners with substantial losses will rush to salvage what they can—filling the mills and causing prices to fall. Because these storms span miles, huge numbers of landowners are affected, and many will be fortunate if the salvaged timber covers the cost of removing it from the forest. As they begin to replant, there are important choices landowners can make to prepare their forests for severe hurricanes as they become our new reality.
Develop Stand Density
Stand density has a large impact on a forest’s ability to withstand strong winds. Dense stands allow individual trees to buffer each other from gusts and allow each tree to support its neighbors. In open stands, each individual tree is forced to face the winds alone. Over time, individuals become better adapted to withstand the wind, but until then, they are more prone to break during severe weather events. Because thinning is necessary as stands mature, it is important to consider how initial planting densities will impact wind firmness as the stand ages. High densities early on may offer protection, but each thinning treatment will result in a brief period of increased risk. It is important to consider how stand density will be managed throughout the rotation to minimize the risk of substantial storm damage.
Select Suitable Species
Selecting a suitable species composition is perhaps the best way to prepare a forest for hurricanes. Some southern pine species are known to be more resistant to high winds than others. For example, Longleaf pine has been shown to weather storms with much less damage (22% of trees) than comparable Loblolly plantations (52% of trees). Shortleaf pine can also be incredibly wind-hearty where soils are deep enough to prevent windthrow. Slash pine isn’t as resistant as either Longleaf or Shortleaf pine, but it can be the best option in wet sites that aren’t suitable for other species. Loblolly pine, a favorite timber species due to its rapid growth rate, is the most susceptible to wind damage. Unfortunately, not all sites will be able to support more storm-resistant species. Lowland areas with fine soils may be better suited to Slash pine or Loblolly instead of the more resilient Longleaf pine.
Secure Funding to Reforest
At The Climate Trust, we believe that reforestation carbon projects can play an important role in making Southeastern forests more resilient. By financing the planting labor, the seedling order, and the site preparation needed to establish forest cover, a carbon project will reduce the burden on landowners who are still recovering from a severe storm or are otherwise unable to cover the costs up front. Once the forest is established, the landowner will receive regular payments until the end of the 40-year contract. This revenue can act as a financial buffer that lets forestland owners select more wind resistant trees that might require longer rotations, or less intensive thinning treatments. By providing a second source of revenue, land managers can dedicate more resources to storm resilience.
Learn more about our reforestation work through The Hurricane Michael Family Forest Restoration project.