In the wake of Hurricanes Florence and Michael, we’re reminded of just how devastating natural disasters of this magnitude can be. And as immediate aid is provided to area residents, the Arbor Day Foundation is beginning to plan how we can provide assistance.
Because as homes and businesses are reconstructed and people are struggling to rebuild their lives, they begin to truly miss the trees that were also lost in the storm. Hurricane-force winds can completely uproot trees or cause them to break, and the heavy rain and increased storm surge can cause flooding as well as increased salt levels in soil that both lead to long-term tree loss.
Our Community Tree Recovery program was actually born out of the need to replant community trees in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. According to NASA satellite data, it’s estimated that the storm killed or severely damaged 320 million large trees. We saw the impact of a lack of trees — on the environment and the people — and we knew the difference replanting could make. What we were surprised by was the sheer power of handing a new tree to a homeowner. These trees are a sign of life, a beacon of hope for storm-weary communities.
And you can help provide this hope. For the people affected by Hurricanes Florence and Michael and other natural disasters like them. Your support for the Community Tree Recovery program has the power to help entire communities heal.
Recent Hurricane Tree Recovery Efforts
Miami, Florida
Hurricane Irma
2017
Houston, Port Aransas and Rockport, Texas
Hurricane Harvey
2017
Jacksonville, Florida
Hurricane Matthew
2016
Haiti
Hurricane Matthew
2016
New Jersey
Superstorm Sandy
2012
Community Tree Recovery is a program of the Arbor Day Foundation nationally sponsored by FedEx.
