As a result of the thunderstorms, high winds and tornadoes that hit the State of Alabama on April 15, 2011 and April 27, 2011, Alabama Governor Robert Bentley, declared a state of emergency due to the severe loss of timber volume and value to Alabama forest landowners. From the state of emergency declaration, the Alabama Forest Recovery Task Force (AFRTF) was established "to facilitate the salvage efforts, maximize the recovery of timber damaged by the storms and limit the loss of timber volume and value to forest landowners." Their mission is to "maximize the recovery of timber damaged by the April, 2011 tornadoes and limit the loss of value to forest landowners. Organize and implement recovery strategies for urban and rural forest landscapes."
The AFRTF has scheduled upcoming meetings in six locations this month to provide forest landowners with information to aid forest restoration efforts. Please view the Tuscaloosa meeting agenda for more meeting information.
- July 18: Tuscaloosa
- July 19: Cullman
- July 21: Gardendale
- July 25: Pell City
- July 26: Dadeville
- July 28: Livingston
For more information about the AFRTF, you can visit their website here. For contact information and meeting addresses, you can visit their website here.
Suz-Anne Kinney
Forest2Market: July 14, 2023
