1. Storm Recovery David V. Bloniarz USDA Forest Service
Storm Response & Recovery for the Urban Forest (Parry, 45 min.)
RIDOT/RIEMA establishes evacuation routes; these are cleared by crews working for National Grid.
USFS Strike Team participation
Re-greening & re-planning phase
Good Urban Forestry (Right Tree, Right Place)
Managing Risk Trees
Cost-recovery funding
David V. Bloniarz
USDA Forest Service
Northern Research Station

2. Storm Recovery
Storm Response & Recovery for the Urban Forest (Parry, 45 min.)
RIDOT/RIEMA establishes evacuation routes; these are cleared by crews working for National Grid.
USFS Strike Team participation
Re-greening & re-planning phase
Good Urban Forestry (Right Tree, Right Place)
Managing Risk Trees
Cost-recovery funding

3. The 4 Phases of Emergency Management
Response
Planning
Recovery
Mitigation

4. Recovery
Actions Taken To Return To Normal Or An Even Better and Safer Condition After an Emergency
Recovery Includes Both Tree Related And Program Related Activities

5. Recovery Part 1. Tree Related Recovery Activities
Do Tree Damage Assessment
Remove High Risk Trees
Prune High Risk Trees
Other Tree Maintenance?

6. Tree Damage Assessments
Estimate Amount of Damage
Helps Plan Recovery
Prioritize Neighborhoods Needing Work
Identify High Risk Trees for Removal and Pruning
Identify other Tree Care Work
Inspections should also occur after a storm to identify hazards and efficiently plan for needed work – generally hazard tree removal, hazard pruning, restoration pruning and other tree repair . This lists some of the things to consider in evaluating the tree.

7. Storm Damage Assessment
i-Tree Storms (SDAP)
Storm Damage Assessment
Assess storm damage in a credible, and efficient manner immediately after a severe storm.
Provides information on the time and funds needed to mitigate storm damage.

8. Storm Response Strike Team
Recruit & Train Tree Professionals
Deploy Crews To Disasters Areas
Crews Do Complete Street by Street Assessments
Efficiently plan needed tree work
Document FEMA reimbursement
Flexible – Can be designed to fit community needs
Process for Rapid Storm Assessment (Strike Team)-
Developed by USDA Forest Service, State and Private Forestry, Southern Region - Dudley Hartel
Background;
The Southern Region worked with 10 communities in the states affected by the hurricanes in They developed and refined this simple assessment process.
Using the ICS recruit, train and deploy qualified volunteers to respond to natural disaster to provide assistance. Volunteers crews used were mainly ISA or other certified arborists from around the country. This keeps municipal staff free for other tasks, and ensures professional assessment. Volunteers go through a 4 hour training.
USFS NA State and Private Forestry

9. Identify - Remove High Risk Trees (Hazards)
Arboricultural Standards
Target
Probablity of Failure
Size
Consider two standards when evaluating storm damaged trees for removal

10. % CROWN DAMAGE vs. Survival
= 50 – 75%
Survive with varying degrees
of defects
<50%
HIGH chance
of survival
>75%
LOW chance
of survival
Maple 35%
50%
80%
Birch 40%
Tree crown damage is one consideration in evaluating trees. Some trees will slow due to loss of crown. Growth in
lightly or undamaged trees on the edges of disturbed
areas may increase due to reduced competition.
85%
65%

11. Pruning Hazard Limbs
Remove broken, hanging stems so that branches do not fall and cause injury.
The purpose of canopy cleaning is to remove potential hazards like large dead branches and broken limbs. Cleaning also makes smooth pruning cuts behind broken branch stubs, which allows new growth to close over wounds. Most importantly, the least amount of live wood possible should be removed because the tree is stressed and needs to access energy stored in the limbs to recover. The food stored in the limbs is necessary for the tree to sprout, produce new leaves, and defend itself against organisms that cause decay. Do not do perform major pruning to alter the canopy shape. It is better to leave the tree looking unbalanced and misshapen than to remove large portions of the live canopy. Shaping can be done later as part of the restoration process. For safety purposes, get the hanging branches out of the way first, starting at the top of the canopy. This will prevent injuries caused by branches falling on tree workers below. The red dotted lines indicate where to make the cut. On the large, main branches there are often smaller side limbs located closer to the trunk known as laterals. A lateral is a branch arising from a larger stem. Ideally, the lateral branch should be at least 1/3 of the size of the main stem, and the lateral will preferably grow to replace the broken tip.
After the canopy of the tree has been cleaned, these are the objectives for the time before the next visit. The sight of a storm damaged tree is discouraging – often the tree appears dead – and it is during this time that one will need the most patience to wait and see whether the tree begins to sprout; many trees will.

12. Repair Wounds

13. Bent Trees

14. Leaning/ Uprooted Trees
≤ 4” inches trunk diameter
Water or cover with tarp
Remove soil on uprooted side
Straighten with winch
Protect the trunk and roots
Replace soil and stake
Tamp and water well
First, remove soil on the uprooted side so the root mass can fit into the hole.
Straighten the tree with power equipment, winch or 'come-along',
careful not to break additional roots, and to protect the bait where the rope or cable is attached.
With the tree upright, replace soil and anchor in place using 2-3 guy lines attached to a point 1/3 to 1/2 the height of the tree.
Tamp and water well to remove air spaces around the replaced roots.

15. Debris Removal Estimates

16. Look for Invasive Insect Signs and Symptoms
Shiny black body
White or
yellowish spots
ALB adults are relatively easy to identify. First of all they are big and “showy”. From an artistic standpoint they are nice looking insects. Once an insect reaches the adult stage they don’t get any bigger BUT like any species (and I specifically include humans) – you know that some are bigger than others. ALB adults will vary in size from ¾ inch to 1 ¼ (or even slightly larger) [not including the antennae]. The overall color is black. White spots are prevalent and if you look carefully at the antennae – at the front of the body – you will see a very distinct banding of white and black – all the way to the tip. I have an adult beetle with me and will pass it around for people to see. PASS THE ADULT ALB AROUND. There are other insects that look similar to ALB but please don’t hesitate to collect them for identification.
¾ - 1¼ inches long
USFS NA State and Private Forestry

17. Long-term Recovery Avoid Further Stress
Monitor for insect and disease problems
Protect from construction damage, soil compaction and other damage
Water, mulch and maintain as needed to help them recover

18. Recovery – Part 2. Program Activities Clean-up Debris /Sites
Continue To Keep Records
Review Existing Policies
Update Tree Inventory
Evaluate Plans
Seek Financial Assistance
Evaluate Response

19. Debris Management & Clean-up
Debris Staging Areas - Removal
Debris Removal From Private Property
Routes And Schedules
FEMA
Wood Utilization Options

20. Wood Utilization
In one year, logs from more than 200 cottonwood trees killed by floods on a local golf course were sold to a local sawmill and a firewood processor.
Marketing trees blown down in a windstorm turned a potential financial disaster into $78,000 revenue through the sale of pulpwood, saw logs, and firewood permits.

21. Communications/ Education
Work with Media
Press Releases On Proper Pruning
Tree Planting Events
Provide information and Education to Citizens
Teachable Moment
Communications Between
Town Departments
Training for Staff

22. Re-Evaluate Plans & Policies
Urban forestry management plan
Community tree risk management plan
Storm damage assessment
Public Tree Ordinance

23. Engage Citizen Volunteers
Planting
Pruning
Education
Fund-raising
Tree Care Advisors

24. Tree Planting Inventory Available Tree Planting Spaces for Reforestation
Utilities Present
Species of Tree
Develop Planting Plan
Fundraising

25. Look for Partners to Support Reforestation Program

26. Record Keeping Damage Assessment And Survey Reports Budget
Financial Assistance
Photographs, Video

27. Evaluate Response at All Levels
How Can we do it better next time?
Local 
County 
State 
Regional 
National
Revise Tree Emergency Plan

28. ?