Page 25 - Georgia Forestry - Issue 2 - Spring 2021

How Rising Seedlings Mirror Post-Michael Optimism
It’s safe to say that most every forest landowner in south- west Georgia has a memory about Hurricane Michael coming to call. After pummel- ing the panhandle of Florida in October of 2018, the storm set a path through Seminole, Dodge, Early, Decatur and surrounding counties before tracking north- east out of the state. With winds of more than 100 miles per
hour, those who experienced the storm share similar tales of fear and destruction.
“The storm’s footprint was huge,” said Georgia Forestry Commission Forest Manage- ment Chief Scott Griffin, who was assessing damage as soon as it was safe to do so. “From the air, we saw a string of mangled stands and huge areas of trees blown over and destroyed. On the ground, trees that had fallen were block- ing roads and limiting access.”
As GFC chainsaw crews answered the call to clear emergency corridors, forest landown- ers called GFC for advice to make sense of
By Stasia Kelly
staggering losses. In all, some 2.4 million acres of timberland were damaged, amounting to a $763 million loss.
“Within a month,” Griffin said, “$20 million was allocated to landowners by the Georgia leg- islature through the Forest Debris Management Program” (FDMP). Those dollars would prove to be a lifeline for many.
The FDMP had three objectives: ensure open access to forestlands, prevent catastrophic wildfires and aid forest restoration. Some 723 landowners took advantage of the assistance. With the help of GFC foresters, restorative activities were assessed, long-term plans were considered and contractors were engaged. Next, FDMP applications were filed and ver- ification of work was conducted — processes the landowners with whom we spoke said were surprisingly easy.
Work has now concluded on FDMP projects, and as the 2020-2021 planting season drew to a close, we revisited properties and people who made it through the storms. Their stories are different, yet they share a single sentiment: gratitude.
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