Hurricane Michael and Florida's Forest Industry

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Hurricane Michael Floridas Forest Industry
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UF/IFAS Report (2017) Forestry/forest
products 1 ag commodity (neck and neck with
horticulture) 1 ag export Economic Impact
25 billion Jobs 124,000
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Florida Forests 17.1 Million Acres
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Photo credit unknown
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Impacted Counties

• Bay
• Calhoun
• Franklin
• Gadsden
• Gulf
• Holmes
• Jackson
• Leon
• Liberty
• Wakulla
• Washington

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Catastrophic Damage 347,000 acres 320,717,0
00
Photo credit Florida Forest Service
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Photo credit Florida Forest Service
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Photo credit Florida Forest Service
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Photo credit Florida Forest Service
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Severe Damage 1,043,000 acres
761,200,000
Photo credit Alan Shelby
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Photo credit Florida Forest Service
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Photo credit Florida Forest Service
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Moderate Damage 1,419,000 acres
207,105,000
Photo credit Florida Forest Service
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Total Current Damage 2.8 million acres 1.3
billion
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Other Costs Significant debris removal costs
for timber that cannot be salvaged.
Reforestation costs that could be as high as 240
million on pine stands alone in the catastrophic
and severe damaged areas.
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Loss of additional timber because of pine
beetle outbreaks or wind damage and reduced value
of remaining timber because of poor form and wind
sweep. Significantly increased threat and cost
to suppress wildfires in areas with upwards to
100 tons per acre of forest fuels on the
ground. Potential loss or the reduction of
jobs and forest industry in the heavily impacted
area because of a loss of forest products for an
estimated 15 to 20 years into the future.
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Emergency Forest Restoration Program
Administered by the Farm Service
Agency Cost-share payments Up to 75 of the
cost to implement approved restoration
practices. Limited to 500,000 per person or
legal entity per disaster. ELIGIBLE FOREST
RESTORATION PRACTICES Debris removal, such as
down or damaged trees, in order to establish a
new stand or provide for natural regeneration
Site preparation, planting materials and labor to
replant forest stand Restoration of
forestland roads, re lanes, fuel breaks or
erosion control structures Fencing, tree
shelters and tree tubes to protect trees from
wildlife damage and Wildlife enhancement to
provide cover openings and wildlife habitat.
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Resilience 1989 Hurricane Hugo hit South
Carolina 4.4 million acres of timberland
damaged/destroyed 2017 Timber is the states
leading cash crop and top manufacturing
industry 2005 Hurricane Katrina hit Gulf
Coast 5 million acres of timberland
damaged/destroyed (mostly in Mississippi) 2017
Timber is states 2 ag commodity
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www. FloridaForest.org
_at_FlForestryAssoc
Florida Forestry Association