Meteoroligists are predicting an active 2007 hurricane season, with 17 storms predicted and at least one expected to hit the US coast.
And following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, which damaged around 5.5 million ha of timberland in August and September 2005, the Forest Service Southern Research Station has acted to help forest managers plan for the aftermath of a hurricane making landfall in the coming months by producing an assessment that looks at all the potential risks and offers practical responses.
“The infrastructure to restore access and communications should be put into place before the storm hits,” said John Stanturf, one of the researchers behind the report.
“[This will] meet both the short-term goals of salvage and fire prevention and the long-term goal of reforestation and ecological recovery.”
The research also states that rapid damage assessment, effective second order management (wildfire) and the protection of timber resources should occur immediately after a hurricane.
