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Volunteer Work Trains Arborists for Future Disasters
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
For More Information
Jess Caudle
Internal Communications Coordinator
International Society of Arboriculture
217-355-9411, EXT. 244
Volunteer Work Trains Arborists for Future Disasters
CHAMPAIGN, IL (April 26, 2006)Volunteer arborists are assisting in a unique storm restoration effort. The Gulf Coast Tree Assessment (GCTA) project has volunteers traveling to Mississippi and Louisiana to work in teams assessing storm damaged trees as well as developing treatment and rebuilding plans. Training received during this project provides each of these volunteers with valuable knowledge to utilize in their home communities when a natural disaster strikes.
Most of the trees in the Gulf were damaged by standing salt water, but the winds and heavy machinery used in cleanup also caused damage. Volunteers with the Gulf Coast Tree Assessment project look for trees that can be saved, offer suggestions to bring those trees back to full health, and help develop replacement plans for those trees that are lost. The project was organized through a collaborative effort involving several government agencies as well as community and non-profit organizations. These groups are working together to provide funding, equipment, training, and volunteers.
So far five groups totaling 17 volunteers have participated in the Gulf Coast Tree Assessment program, and many more have signed up to offer their assistance. The list of potential volunteers includes arborist from all over the United States as well as those from other countries. Once assigned to a group, the volunteers must commit for an eight to ten-day period to help assist with the program. After a one-day training session, they begin their work assessing the storm damaged trees in their assigned areas.
Volunteer teams use handheld computers and GPS equipment to record data including location, tree species and immediate care recommendations. The information collected is transferred to an online data management program, then analyzed and compiled into a list of priorities to give back to the communities to help guide in the rebuilding effort. Information is also being saved to help with future storm-related events in other areas.
Goals of the program include avoiding unnecessary removal of healthy trees. Many times, cleanup automatically involves removing all the trees in an affected area. These volunteer arborists are able go through and find trees that are salvageable and recommend treatment. Another goal is tree replacement. While volunteers are assessing the existing tree conditions and maintenance, they are also looking for areas where trees could be replaced. They look for places to put more weather-resistant trees to help prevent this level of destruction from happening again. Salvage and replacement are starting points for the rebuilding of these Gulf Coast communities' urban forests.
Though much work has been done, there are still many communities in need of this project. The project plans to continue sending assessment groups through the summer for as long as work is available. The ultimate goal is to build greener urban areas helping communities recover one tree at a time.
Organizations involved in the Gulf Coast Tree Assessment project include: the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA); Society of Municipal Arborists (SMA); Davey Resource Group; Alabama Cooperative Extension; Environmental Systems Research Institute (ESRI); Geospatial Information Technology Association (GITA); Louisiana Department of Agriculture & Forestry; Mississippi Forestry Commission; NUCFAC; USDA Forest Service, Region 8; USDA Forest Service, Washington Office, Urban and Community Forestry; Coastal Land Trust and USDA Forest Service Southern Center for Urban Forestry.
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