EXTENSION REPORT

Smart Growth in Urban Forestry; Using Hurricane Resistant Trees 

For urban foresters, city horticulturalists, and public works crews still in the process of recuperating from last year’s series of hurricanes, the idea of a similar season is depressing at best.  Many communities have removed, pruned, and begun replanting urban forests to fill in the increasingly more noticeable gaps as spring comes into full bloom.  With a worrying hurricane season approaching the need for smart growth in urban forestry is important and residents of hurricane prone communities must consider planting hurricane resistant tree species to plan for future storm events.  

Planning an urban forest that matches the hurricane prone ecosystem is important.  In the past there have been trends to plant non-native trees in our urban forests with low storm resistance.  Previous fads like Bradford Pear (Pyrus calleryana) and non-native red and silver maples (Acer rubrum and saccharinum), once very popular, are now causing problems in communities as their low storm resistance causes these trees to break, split, and blow-over.  The use of these low storm resistant species causes increased property damage, work for city urban foresters and personnel, and reduces the urban forest canopy cover.  The need for careful tree selection to ensure trees with high resistance to hurricanes are planted is needed. 

Research from the University of Florida and Auburn University has developed lists of trees with high resistance to hurricanes.  These lists were developed by researchers visiting and sampling urban trees in communities impacted by hurricanes.  Trees were assessed in urban neigborhoods for every major hurricane from Andrew in 1992 through Katrina and Rita last year along the Gulf Coast.   The results are a list of trees with high resistance to hurricanes, generally comprised of native tree species.  Trees indigenous to coastal Alabama have developed in an ecosystem where frequent storms have enabled these trees to develop characteristics that allow them to survive in this hurricane environment. 

Native trees species with wide spreading branches, small leaf size, low centers of gravity and planted in groupings seem to hold up better during storm events.  Research has also indicated that slower growing trees generally have stronger wood characteristics that are more hurricane resistant than many of the faster growing trees with weaker wood fiber strength.  So while it may take many of these tree species longer to grow, they will likely be around for many more years after a hurricane.

Increasing the use of these trees with a high resistance to hurricanes on city right-of-ways, in parks and on private yards will decrease damage and retain the green spaces within our communities.  With fewer tree losses your community will recover faster and retain its urban forest, increasing the beauty and livability of you community while reducing work for yourself and your urban forester.  Consider working with your local Extension agents, Urban Foresters, or City Horticulturalists to plant hurricane resistant trees to improve your urban forest’s resistance to storms.  Consider planting some of the following trees next time you look to replace a tree:

(Alabama Cooperative Extension System, Auburn University)

For additional information, contact Beau Brodbeck at the Baldwin County Extension Office in Bay Minette Alabama by email at brodbam@auburn.edu or by phone at 251-937-7176.

USDA-NRCS OFFERS COST-SHARE ASSISTANCE FOR REMOVAL OF DOWNED TIMBER AND ASSOCIATED PRACTICES

On December 30, 2005, President George W. Bush signed into law the Defense Appropriations/Emergency Supplemental Act.  This Act authorizes funds for the Emergency Watershed Protection (EWP) program to assist with the recovery efforts from hurricanes that occurred in 2005.  This legislation expanded the authority of Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) to reimburse non-industrial forest landowners for costs associated with the downed timber removal and associated practices.  Alabama NRCS has received the state allocation for landowner assistance and is now accepting applications.

Funding will focus on risk reduction associated with wildfire.  Eligible sites are areas with a high risk for wildfire and associated smoke conserves, such as near urban interface areas, transportation corridors, or near structures that would be threatened during a wildfire.  Landowners in all counties adversely affected by Hurricanes Katrina or Dennis, or tornadic winds associated with these events, are eligible to participate.  Most of the severe timber damage occurred in the southwestern portion of the state.  Moderate/light damage was also recorded in several counties in northwest Alabama.

Reimbursement will be provided to landowners based upon 75 percent cost-share not to exceed $150 per acre.  Applications will be accepted from April 3 through April 28, 2006.  Funding for applications received after that date will be contingent upon fund availability.

For more information on this program, please visit your local USDA/NRCS office at 207 Faulkner Drive Suite 107, Bay Minette, phone  937-3297 ext. 3 or visit our website at: .

 Caring to Help Others

            Three programs for volunteer caregivers of older adults will be held at the PZK Civic Center in Robertsdale on Highway 104. The programs will be from 12:30-4:00 p.m. on

April 12, “Aging”; April 19, “Getting Through the Day”; and April 26, “Decisions, Decisions…”.

            Call the Baldwin County Extension Office at 937-7176 or 943-5611, ext. 2222 to register to attend.

Email address: brodbam@auburn.edu
Phone: 937-7176 or 943-5611, ext. 2222

Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension work in agriculture and home economics, Acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, and other related acts, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The Alabama Cooperative Extension System (Alabama A&M University and Auburn University) offers educational programs, materials, and equal opportunity employment to all people without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age, veteran status, or disability.