This work is in support of hurricane helene recovery

The University of Georgia's Sponsored Projects Administration, in collaboration with the U.S. Forest Service Research Service Southern Research Station under the Forestry Research program (CFDA 10.652), received a $673,930 Cooperative Agreement award dated July 31, 2025, with a completion date of June 30, 2030. This award supports hurricane recovery research focused on assessing and managing forest damage from Hurricane Helene. The project will deliver rapid assessments of short-term tree mortality and dieback, evaluate impacts from damaging insects and pathogens, analyze longer-term residual effects and delayed mortality, and identify implications for forest pest and disease management. Additionally, the award will produce technology transfer materials and best management practices guidance for timber production and salvage operations in response to future catastrophic wind events.

The project leverages collaborative expertise to develop evidence-based forest health management practices, building on prior research conducted following Hurricane Michael and studies utilizing tornadoes as surrogate systems for examining wind effects. Funded activities include personnel support (faculty and graduate students), materials and supplies, and travel necessary to conduct the research. This cooperative approach reduces reliance on direct hiring and contract labor while maximizing the specialized skills and resources of participating institutions to advance understanding of forest recovery and resilience in the southeastern United States.

The collaboration will greatly facilitate development of best management practices taking advantage of specialized skills, resources, and labor as well as expertise in forest health related to catastrophic wind damage. Our approach reduces reliance on direct hiring or contract labor, which is financially and administratively burdensome. This work builds on prior collaborative work in the wake of hurricane michael, and other work using tornadoes as a surrogate system for examining windeffects on forest health. The project will provide a rapid assessment of short-term tree mortality and dieback, impacts of damaging insects and pathogens, longer-term residual tree level effects, delayed mortality, and implications for damaging insects and disease, and provide technology transfer for best management practices for timber production and salvage in response tofuture events. The funds will support personnel faculty and graduate students, materials and supplies, and travel necessary to conduct the work.