In the aftermath of the tornadoes that swept Alabama on April 15 and 27, many landowners were tasked with rebuilding not only their homes and communities, but also with the cleanup of timber land damaged at that time. It’s estimated that 231,000 acres of timber land were damaged by the storms.

“In April, the state was hit with a series of record-breaking tornadoes and straight-line winds, never seen before in Alabama,” said Tommy Thompson, chairman of the Alabama Forestry Recovery task force. “It caused loss of life and damage across the state. It set records, and not the kind you want to have.”

As a result of the storms, the Alabama Forestry Recovery task force took on the job of educating landowners about the best ways to recover from the storms on timberland. A series of educators were present Monday evening to share a wealth of information about reforestry efforts across the state in the wake of the storms.

Clearing the timber

While some landowners may have already begun to remove fallen trees from their property, others still have a large process ahead of them.

Forester Tim Thornhill said one of the most important steps to take is to solicit the advice of a Registered Professional Forester, which can be a valuable asset in removing and selling fallen timber.

“Registered Professional Foresters are experts in contracts and in environmental compliance. We work for you on your land to get things done,” Thornhill said.

When it’s time to cut, Thornhill also suggested contacting a company with a certified Professional Logging Manager, as well.

“They can help you protect your land, your streamsides and your future product,” he explained. “Best Management Practices still need to be followed. The storm didn’t negate the need for clean water.”

When clearing the land, Thornhill suggested material with the highest product values should be salvaged first. However, for much sawtimber and veneer, it’s already too late to be salvaged, as it is more perishable.  

Next, areas that are easiest to cut, with trees blown or felled all in one direction, should be tended to next. He said it’s slightly easier and a little cheaper for the logger this way.  

In younger stands, predominantly with trees 30 feet or less, loggers can avoid cutting down trees with a 15 percent or less bend in them, as they can grow into pulp wood. Anything with a 30 percent or greater bend needs to be salvaged now, Thornhill said.

Blue stain and stress cracks can also lower the values of trees harvested in the post-storm period.

With situations like this, he explained that the harvest is going to be more costly because especially with matchstick-like piles of trees in different directions, the work is more dangerous and less productivity is achieved.

He also suggested that smaller parcels be bundled together with other neighboring parcels, to make the project more attractive, or even coupled with thinning of non-damaged areas.

Persistence is key in getting fallen trees off of the land quickly, said Ray Clifton of the Alabama Forestry Association.

“St. Clair County loggers might be busy, so you may need to go a little further out, maybe into Talladega County. They didn’t get much damage at all, so they may be more available,” Clifton said.

He also urged property owners to get a written contract to protect not only the owner’s interests and land, but also the loggers.  

Information on local Registered Professional Foresters is available as asbrf.alabama.gov, while a directory of Professional Logging Managers can be found on alforestry.org.

Preparing and planting

Ken McNabb of ACES said there are three reforestation options on the table right now: Doing nothing, managed natural regeneration, and replantation.

If landowners choose to do nothing, Mother Nature will take its course and regenerate the forest on her own timeframe.

“Doing nothing is a cheap, natural process, and for some of you, it may be the only option,” McNabb said.

He also noted that you lose control of the types of trees, the density and you also see slower growth.

“If you’re interested in the economic productivity of your land, it’s probably not your best option,” McNabb said.

Managed regeneration consists of reseeding the forest through leaving healthy trees on the outskirts of the property, which can seed into the rest of the property.

Loblolly pine is a good reseeding option, McNabb said, but burning the rest of the area is a necessary part of regeneration, in order to clear down to bare mineral soil to avoid competition for nutrients with the new seeds.  

While the option is practical for some, it also includes leaving the best trees on the site, which means they can’t be sold at this time. Seed sources also cannot be changed, so genetics can’t be improved.

There’s also a lack of influence of spacing, mechanization is not an option, and a year of growth is lost, compared to planting new seedlings, which have already grown for a year.

By planting nursery-grown seedlings, there are more site preparation options, including mechanical, burning or spraying. There’s more control over density and types of trees planted.

However, McNabb said last year nurseries ran out of seedlings early, and this year they started sprouting seedlings before the storms hit, which could lead to scarcity issues again this year. Landowners also need to be careful to purchase seedlings sprouted from Piedmont sources, which are designed to fit land in this region.

Reforestation involves a lot of choices that should involve a professional forester in order to determine the right approach for a particular area of land. With site preparation needing to be done before the fall, and planting in the winter, McNabb urged patience in the process.

“Don’t be in too big of a hurry to get it done. If you can’t get it done now, wait, plan and do it next winter,” he said.