Helene Recovery
As I write this article, a little over 5000 acres are on fire in Polk County, about 37 miles away, and I can smell the smoke from my house. Jordan, an EcoForesters’ forestry associate, was scheduled to meet a landowner not far from the fire, but weather conditions and the remoteness of the area caused us to reconsider. In the world of forestry, safety and caution reign supreme.
I share this information not to be alarmist, but to best share with our readers the challenges professional foresters and land managers are facing post Hurricane Helene. The unplanned disturbance that struck over 800,000 acres has left access to the areas that once acted as fire breaks impenetrable. A wildfire that once was put under control after burning only 1 acre is now a 15-20 acre fire. Drought-like conditions are creating headaches and dangerous situations for a lot of brave workers and communities alike.
Our staff has spent the last 6 months in the woods. Our field staff has stayed busy restoring access into the woods and planning for the future challenges that will come this spring. Our foresters have been assessing what it means to lose 50% of your trees over a 100 acre parcel. What is the cost and feasibility of removing tangled timber without further damaging property and streams? What is the right prescription for regenerating oaks where the movement of earth and trees has changed the environment? And most importantly, what will it cost?
The next 10 years of forest stewardship will be in reaction to Helene’s footprint and require an effort of similar magnitude. When disturbance happens in the absence of planning, regeneration and competing invasive plants are not considered. The planning decisions made today will help guide future wildlife populations, recreational opportunities, and future markets like biochar. This edition will share what we are seeing in the forest and how we are planning for the future.
The greening of this spring will help all of our psyches. The response to new growing space will remind us that disturbance is an opportunity for natives and non-native species alike. While we are usually okay with letting nature duke it out, the winner getting the light and growing space, we know that past management has degraded species favorable to wildlife and given an unfair advantage to faster growing invasive plants. But with planning, education, training, and hard work, EcoForesters has begun the journey towards restoration. Thanks for coming along for the ride.