Impacts of Hurricane Michael on Georgia's Urban Forests

The Georgia Forestry Commission and Georgia Tree Council used federal hurricane relief funding to hire a Colorado-based trees and technology consulting firm, PlanIT Geo, to measure the damage to the region's urban forest. With this information, GFC and GTC aim to assist communities with restoration of tree canopy and ensure that new trees are planted strategically and equitably across the landscape, with a focus on the hardest hit areas, historically underserved communities, and areas with the most viable planting space. A map of all trees and planting areas was created using pre- and post-storm aerial imagery to begin this effort. The damage was then totaled within affected communities and neighborhoods to begin to tell the story of Hurricane Michael's impacts on southwest Georgia's urban tree canopy.  To read the full report, click here.