Community Forest Storm Mitigation Planning

Guide for Virginia Communities

Virginia Department of Forestry

www.dof.virginia.gov

Template

2016

Plan template written by

Connie Head, Consulting Urban Forester

Technical Forestry Services

706.202.5279 / tfshead@aol.com

This template was originally developed by the Georgia Forestry Commission
and adapted to use for Virginia by
Lara Johnson and Janet Muncy.

For more information on this Template, contact:

Urban and Community Forestry Program Coordinator

Virginia Department of Forestry

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To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, Room 326-A, Whitten Building, 14th and Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call 202-720-5964 (voice or TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

Table of Contents

HOW TO USE THIS TEMPLATE	1

PART I. COMMUNITY SETTING	2

A. COMMUNITY GEOGRAPHY AND SIZE	2

B. STORM HISTORY AND EXPOSURE	3

1. Potential Storms and Emergency Events	3

2. Snow and Ice Storms	3

3. Rainfall and Flooding	4

4. Droughts and Fires	4

5. Other Significant Conditions	5

6. Storm History and Records	5

C. COMMUNITY FOREST RESOURCE MANAGEMENT	7

1. Tree Care Manager	7

2. Tree City USA	8

3. Management Plan	8

PART II. STORM PREPARATION	9

A. STORM MITIGATION TEAM	9

1. Emergency Management Personnel	9

Local Emergency Management Director	9

Virginia Department of Emergency Management (VDEM) Regional Coordinator	9

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Region IV Regional Administrator	9

2. Government Staff	10

City Manager/County Administrator/Designee	10

Public Information Officer	10

Public Safety Officer (Police Chief/County Sheriff)	10

Fire Chief	11

Public Works Director	11

Streets Superintendent/Traffic Engineer	11

Tree Care Manager/Urban Forester/Arborist	11

Parks and Recreation Director	12

Planning Director	12

GIS Manager	12

Additional Government Staff	13

3. Utility Companies and Departments	14

Electric Utility	14

Gas Utility	14

Telephone/Cable/Fiber Optic Utilities	14

Water and Sewer Utility	15

Other Utility Companies	15

4. State Agencies	16

Virginia Department of Forestry	16

Cooperative Extension Service	16

Other State Agencies	16

5. Contractors	17

Debris Removal Contractors	17

Tree Service Contractors	18

Landscape Contractors	19

6. Equipment and Materials Vendors	20

Equipment Rental Vendor	20

Tree Nursery Vendors	20

7. Volunteer Organizations	21

Tree Board Chairperson	21

Local Agencies and Non-Profit Organizations	21

8. Community Forest Management Program Sponsors	22

Reforestation Sponsors	22

9. Additional Team Members and Emergency Contacts	23

B. COMMUNITY FOREST RESOURCE ASSESSMENTS	24

1. Tree Canopy Assessment	24

2. Public Tree Inventory	25

3. Tree Risk Assessment	25

4. Tree Benefits and Value	26

5. Community Forest Management Costs	26

6. Benefit-to-Cost Ratio of Community Forestry Management	28

C. STORM MITIGATION MAP	29

1. Critical Facilities	29

2. Transportation Network	30

3. Trees	30

4. Emergency Response Sites	30

D. TREE RISK MITIGATION	31

1. Short-term Tree Risk Mitigation	31

2. Long-term Tree Risk Mitigation	32

E. EQUIPMENT AND SERVICES	33

F. MEMORANDA OF UNDERSTANDING AND ADVANCED READINESS CONTRACTS	35

1. Memoranda of Understanding	35

Neighboring Communities	35

Local Agencies	35

Non-Profit Organizations	35

Other Individuals and Groups	36

2. Advanced Readiness Contracts	37

Equipment Rental Vendors	37

Debris Removal Contractors	37

Mulch Grinding Contractors	37

Tree Service Contractors	38

Tree Suppliers	38

Landscape Contractors	38

G. COMMUNICATION, INFORMATION, EDUCATION AND AWARENESS	39

1. Communication	39

2. Information and Education	39

Internal Information Sharing	39

External Information Sharing	40

Information and Education Topics	41

3. Awareness	43

H. PREPARATION RECORD KEEPING	44

PART III. STORM RESPONSE	45

A. MOBILIZATION	45

B. DEBRIS MANAGEMENT	46

1. Debris Staging and Storage	46

2. Debris Estimation	46

C. TREE RISK AND DAMAGE ASSESSMENTS	47

D. INFORMATION	48

E. RESPONSE RECORD KEEPING	49

F. FEMA PUBLIC ASSISTANCE GRANTS	49

1. Hazardous Trees Documentation	49

2. Hazardous Limbs Documentation	50

3. Hazardous Stumps Documentation	50

PART IV. STORM RECOVERY	51

A. POST-STORM MITIGATION ANALYSIS	51

B. SUMMARY OF TREE LOSSES	51

C. INVENTORY OF POTENTIAL PLANTING SITES	53

D. TREE SPECIES SELECTION	54

E. TREE REPLACEMENT PLAN	55

F. TREE REPLACEMENT PARTNERS	56

1. Tree Care Manager/Storm Mitigation Team Members	56

2. Tree Replacement Program Partners	58

G. ONGOING TREE RISK MITIGATION	60

H. INFORMATION AND EDUCATION	60

I. RECOVERY RECORD KEEPING	62

APPENDICES	63

HOW TO USE THIS TEMPLATE

This template is intended as a tool for guiding a community through the development of a Community Forest Storm Mitigation Plan and as a basic plan framework. The Community Forest Storm Mitigation Planning Workbook that accompanies this template includes step-by-step instructions for completing the template. Both the workbook and template are available on the Virginia Department of Forestry’s website at www.dof.virginia.gov.

As you fill in the blanks, check off completed activities, and circle the appropriate selections within brackets, you will begin the assessment of your storm readiness and the development of your plan. You can address the gaps in information, activities and programs that become apparent as you go through the template and then begin to further develop your community forest management program with storm mitigation in mind.

After completing as much of the template as possible, you can either use it as is or use the Word document version of the template available on the VDOF website to write a final Community Forest Storm Mitigation Plan. Your completed template or plan should be distributed to and implemented by the storm mitigation team you’ve assembled during the process. As community forest and storm mitigation program elements are further developed and changes are made in programs and procedures, you can revise your plan to keep it up to date. An annual review is recommended. Visit www.dof.virginia.gov for a listing of program personnel and for more information on trees and community forests.

PART I. COMMUNITY SETTING

A. COMMUNITY GEOGRAPHY AND SIZE

This Storm Mitigation Plan has been developed for:
, Virginia.
Date of Adoption:	Date of Last Update:
Our Community is located in this physiographic area of Virginia:
Appalachian Plateau	Valley and Ridge	Blue Ridge
Piedmont	Coastal Plain
Our jurisdiction encompasses an area of	square miles and has
miles of public roadways.
Our community has a population of	as of the
last official census date	(date).

B. STORM HISTORY AND EXPOSURE

1. Potential Storms and Emergency Events

The primary weather and catastrophic events that have occurred or are likely to occur in our community that can affect trees include:

Earthquake	Salt Intrusion
Flood	Snow
Hail	Tornado
Hurricane	Tropical Storm
Ice Storm	Wildfire
Pest Infestation (list type)	Wind/Microburst
Other (describe)

2. Snow and Ice Storms

Snow and ice storms are most likely to occur during the months where freezing temperatures are possible, including the following months in our area:

1.	4.
2.	5.
3.	6.

The largest snow amounts (single event snow totals) are most likely to occur during the following months in our area:

1.	3.
2.	4.

3. Rainfall and Flooding

The months of the year in our area with the highest average annual precipitation are:

1.	4.
2.	5.
3.	6.

The months of the year in our area with the lowest average annual precipitation are:

1.	4.
2.	5.
3.	6.

4. Droughts and Fires

The warmest months of the year in our area are:

1.	4.
2.	5.
3.	6.

The months of the year with the most frequent wildfire activity in our area are:

1.	4.
2.	5.
3.	6.

Our community participates in the Firewise Communities Program through the National Fire Protection Association.

Note: Virginia's 4:00 p.m. Burning Law § 10.1-1142 is in effect from February 15 through April 30 of each year, no burning before 4:00 p.m. is permitted, if the fire is in, or within 300 feet of, woodland, brushland or fields containing dry grass or other flammable material.

5. Other Significant Conditions

Other significant geographic, climatological and meteorological conditions that predispose our community to storms or catastrophic events include:

1.
2.
3.

6. Storm History and Records

The severe storms and catastrophic events that have occurred over the last 30 years in our community are listed below. This chart is also used to record storm events as they occur.

YEAR	DATE	TYPE OF EVENT/STORM	SEVERITY*	DAMAGE**

*Severity of tornado, wind or hurricane is based on the Enhanced Fujita Scale or Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scales; or low, medium or high for other events/storms.

**Include the number of injuries and fatalities; also include property damage in dollars.

C. COMMUNITY FOREST RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

1. Tree Care Manager

The primary tree care manager for the community is the:

Community Arborist	Tree Board Chairperson
Community Urban Forester	Tree Board Member
Traffic Engineer	Citizen Volunteer
Public Works Director	Other
City Manager
County Administrator

Name:	Radio #:
Title:
Department:
Primary Phone No.:	Alt. Phone No.:
E-mail Address:
Our tree care manager:
Is an ISA Certified Arborist	Has Tree Risk Assessment Qualifications

2. Tree City USA

Our community is designated a Tree City by the National Arbor Day Foundation.
Our community was first designated a Tree City USA in	(year).
Our community has been designated a Tree City USA for	year(s).
since	(year).

As a Tree City, our community has:

A Public Tree Ordinance, OR	Private Tree Ordinance
(include copy in the appendix)	(include copy in the appendix)
Total Annual Tree Program Expenditures of $
in calendar year
A Tree Board with	(number) Members (include list in the appendix).
An Annual Arbor Day Celebration and Proclamation
Our last Arbor Day celebration was held on	(date)

3. Management Plan

We have a community forest management plan in place (include copy in the appendix).
Our community forest management plan was first adopted on	(date).
Our community forest management plan was last revised on	(date).

The person responsible for administering and updating our community forest management plan is:

Name:	Radio #:
Title:
Department:
Primary Phone No.:	Alt. Phone No.:
E-mail Address:

PART II. STORM PREPARATION

A. STORM MITIGATION TEAM

1. Emergency Management Personnel

Local Emergency Management Director

Name:	Radio #:
Title:
Department:
Primary Phone No.:	Alt. Phone No.:
E-mail Address:

Virginia Department of Emergency Management (VDEM) Regional Coordinator

Name:	Radio #:
Title:
Department:
Primary Phone No.:	Alt. Phone No.:
E-mail Address:

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Region IV Regional Administrator

Name:	Radio #:
Title:
Department:
Primary Phone No.:	Alt. Phone No.:
E-mail Address:

2. Government Staff

City Manager/County Administrator/Designee

Name:	Radio #:
Title:
Department:
Primary Phone No.:	Alt. Phone No.:
E-mail Address:

Public Information Officer

Name:	Radio #:
Title:
Department:
Primary Phone No.:	Alt. Phone No.:
E-mail Address:

Public Safety Officer (Police Chief/County Sheriff)

Name:	Radio #:
Title:
Department:
Primary Phone No.:	Alt. Phone No.:
E-mail Address:

Fire Chief

Name:	Radio #:
Title:
Department:
Primary Phone No.:	Alt. Phone No.:
E-mail Address:

Public Works Director

Name:	Radio #:
Title:
Department:
Primary Phone No.:	Alt. Phone No.:
E-mail Address:

Streets Superintendent/Traffic Engineer

Name:	Radio #:
Title:
Department:
Primary Phone No.:	Alt. Phone No.:
E-mail Address:

Tree Care Manager/Urban Forester/Arborist

Name:	Radio #:
Title:
Department:
Primary Phone No.:	Alt. Phone No.:
E-mail Address:

Parks and Recreation Director

Name:	Radio #:
Title:
Department:
Primary Phone No.:	Alt. Phone No.:
E-mail Address:

Planning Director

Name:	Radio #:
Title:
Department:
Primary Phone No.:	Alt. Phone No.:
E-mail Address:

GIS Manager

Name:	Radio #:
Title:
Department:
Primary Phone No.:	Alt. Phone No.:
E-mail Address:

Additional Government Staff

Title:
Name:	Radio #:
Department:
Primary Phone No.:	Alt. Phone No.:
E-mail Address:

Title:
Name:	Radio #:
Department:
Primary Phone No.:	Alt. Phone No.:
E-mail Address:

Title:
Name:	Radio #:
Department:
Primary Phone No.:	Alt. Phone No.:
E-mail Address:

Title:
Name:	Radio #:
Department:
Primary Phone No.:	Alt. Phone No.:
E-mail Address:

3. Utility Companies and Departments

Electric Utility

Name:
Title:
Company/Department:
Primary Phone No.:	Alt. Phone No.:
E-mail Address:

Gas Utility

Name:
Title:
Company/Department:
Primary Phone No.:	Alt. Phone No.:
E-mail Address:

Telephone/Cable/Fiber Optic Utilities

Name:
Title:
Company/Department:
Primary Phone No.:	Alt. Phone No.:
E-mail Address:

Name:
Title:
Company/Department:
Primary Phone No.:	Alt. Phone No.:
E-mail Address:

Water and Sewer Utility

Name:
Title:
Company/Department:
Primary Phone No.:	Alt. Phone No.:
E-mail Address:

Other Utility Companies

Name:
Title:
Company/Department:
Primary Phone No.:	Alt. Phone No.:
E-mail Address:

Name:
Title:
Company/Department:
Primary Phone No.:	Alt. Phone No.:
E-mail Address:

Name:
Title:
Company/Department:
Primary Phone No.:	Alt. Phone No.:
E-mail Address:

4. State Agencies

Virginia Department of Forestry

Name:
Title:
Primary Phone No.:	Alt. Phone No.:
E-mail Address:

Cooperative Extension Service

Name:
Title:
Primary Phone No.:	Alt. Phone No.:
E-mail Address:

Other State Agencies

Name:
Title:
Department:
Primary Phone No.:	Alt. Phone No.:
E-mail Address:

Name:
Title:
Department:
Primary Phone No.:	Alt. Phone No.:
E-mail Address:

5. Contractors

Debris Removal Contractors

Name:
Title:
Company:
Primary Phone No.:	Alt. Phone No.:
E-mail Address:

Name:
Title:
Company:
Primary Phone No.:	Alt. Phone No.:
E-mail Address:

Name:
Title:
Company:
Primary Phone No.:	Alt. Phone No.:
E-mail Address:

Name:
Title:
Company:
Primary Phone No.:	Alt. Phone No.:
E-mail Address:

Tree Service Contractors

Name:
Title:
Company:
Primary Phone No.:	Alt. Phone No.:
E-mail Address:

Name:
Title:
Company:
Primary Phone No.:	Alt. Phone No.:
E-mail Address:

Name:
Title:
Company:
Primary Phone No.:	Alt. Phone No.:
E-mail Address:

Name:
Title:
Company:
Primary Phone No.:	Alt. Phone No.:
E-mail Address:

Landscape Contractors

Name:
Title:
Company:
Primary Phone No.:	Alt. Phone No.:
E-mail Address:

Name:
Title:
Company:
Primary Phone No.:	Alt. Phone No.:
E-mail Address:

Name:
Title:
Company:
Primary Phone No.:	Alt. Phone No.:
E-mail Address:

Name:
Title:
Company:
Primary Phone No.:	Alt. Phone No.:
E-mail Address:

6. Equipment and Materials Vendors

Equipment Rental Vendor

Name:
Title:
Company:
Primary Phone No.:	Alt. Phone No.:
E-mail Address:

Tree Nursery Vendors

Name:
Title:
Company:
Primary Phone No.:	Alt. Phone No.:
E-mail Address:

Name:
Title:
Company:
Primary Phone No.:	Alt. Phone No.:
E-mail Address:

Name:
Title:
Company:
Primary Phone No.:	Alt. Phone No.:
E-mail Address:

7. Volunteer Organizations

Tree Board Chairperson

Name:
Organization:
Address:
Primary Phone No.:	Alt. Phone No.:
E-mail Address:

Local Agencies and Non-Profit Organizations

Name:
Title:
Organization:
Primary Phone No.:	Alt. Phone No.:
E-mail Address:

Name:
Title:
Organization:
Primary Phone No.:	Alt. Phone No.:
E-mail Address:

Name:
Title:
Organization:
Primary Phone No.:	Alt. Phone No.:
E-mail Address:

8. Community Forest Management Program Sponsors

Reforestation Sponsors

Name:
Title:
Organization/Company/Agency:
Primary Phone No.:	Alt. Phone No.:
E-mail Address:

Name:
Title:
Organization/Company/Agency:
Primary Phone No.:	Alt. Phone No.:
E-mail Address:

Name:
Title:
Organization/Company/Agency:
Primary Phone No.:	Alt. Phone No.:
E-mail Address:

Name:
Title:
Organization/Company/Agency:
Primary Phone No.:	Alt. Phone No.:
E-mail Address:

9. Additional Team Members and Emergency Contacts

Name:
Title:
Organization/Company/Agency:
Primary Phone No.:	Alt. Phone No.:
E-mail Address:

Name:
Title:
Organization/Company/Agency:
Primary Phone No.:	Alt. Phone No.:
E-mail Address:

Name:
Title:
Organization/Company/Agency:
Primary Phone No.:	Alt. Phone No.:
E-mail Address:

Name:
Title:
Organization/Company/Agency:
Primary Phone No.:	Alt. Phone No.:
E-mail Address:

B. COMMUNITY FOREST RESOURCE ASSESSMENTS

Our community has made the following assessments of the tree resource and has available the information indicated below for use in storm preparation, response, and mitigation. This information is available from the tree care manager.

1. Tree Canopy Assessment

We have completed a tree canopy assessment, and
% of our community is covered with tree canopy as of
(year).

The method used for determining our tree canopy is described below:

Previous tree canopy assessments have been made.
% in	(year)
% in	(year)
% in	(year)
Our tree canopy cover has	Increased	Decreased
Over the past	(number of years of measurement) years.

Additional changes in our tree canopy cover over time are described below:

We have a community forest management plan with a tree canopy assessment goal of
% set by the community.

2. Public Tree Inventory

An inventory of public trees was last completed in	(year),
and the community has the number of public trees shown below growing on:
Street Rights-of-Way	(number of trees).
Public Parks	(number of trees).
Public Cemeteries	(number of trees).
Public School Campuses	(number of trees).
Yards around Public Offices and Facilities	(number of trees).
Other	(number of trees).
(number of trees).
We have	(number of trees) street trees 24 inches DBH and greater.
Our tree inventory information is available from the tree care manager in an
Excel Spreadsheet	GIS Shape File	Hard Copy Format
Our inventory includes the location of all street trees determined using GPS and we have a GIS shape file of our street trees.
Our public tree inventory is included as a layer on our community’s geographic information system.
A map of the locations of street trees 24 inches DBH and greater is available from the tree care manager.

3. Tree Risk Assessment

Our community has on file in the tree care manager’s office a copy of the ANSI A300 Part 9 standards and best management practices for tree risk assessment.
Our community has a tree risk assessment program or plan.
A Level 1 tree risk assessment is conducted every	years.
The date of the most recent Level 1 tree risk assessment is	(date).
A Level 2 tree risk assessment is conducted every	years.
The date of the most recent Level 2 tree risk assessment is	(date).

4. Tree Benefits and Value

We have information on the dollar value of the benefits that our tree canopy provides.

The amount and dollar value of the benefits our tree canopy provides include:

Amount	Value	Benefit
$	Aesthetic and Other Benefits
$	Air Quality Benefits
$	Carbon Sequestration Benefits
$	Energy Benefits
$	Stormwater Interception Benefits

The total dollar value of the annual benefits provided by our community trees, based on our tree canopy assessment, is

$	.

We have information on the dollar value of the benefits that our street trees provide.

The amount and dollar value of the benefits our street trees provide include:

Amount	Value	Benefit
$	Aesthetic and Other Benefits
$	Air Quality Benefits
$	Carbon Sequestration Benefits
$	Energy Benefits
$	Stormwater Interception Benefits

The total dollar value of the annual benefits provided by our public street trees, based on our tree inventory, is

$	.
The average annual benefits per tree is	$	.

5. Community Forest Management Costs

We have information on our annual community forest management costs.
The total annual cost of managing our public areas includes costs for (check all that apply):
Street	Park	Cemetery	School	Facility
Other
$	Tree Planting and Initial Care
$	Tree Maintenance
$	Tree Removals
$	Management/Administration
$	Equipment/Supplies
$	Contractual
$	Other costs (describe below)
Our annual community forestry program expenditures total	$	.
Street trees represent	% of our total public tree population.
The pro-rated cost of managing our street tree population is	$	.
(multiply total annual community forestry program expenditures by the percentage of the tree population represented by street trees)

6. Benefit-to-Cost Ratio of Community Forestry Management

The total value of the benefits provided by our tree canopy is	$	(A).
The total value of the benefits provided by our street trees is	$	(B).
The total cost of our annual community forest management program is	$	(C).
The total cost of our annual tree risk assessment program is	$	(D).
For every $1 our community spends on community forest management, we receive
$	back in benefits from our tree canopy (A divided by C).
For every $1 our community spends for tree risk assessment, we receive
$	back in benefits from our public street trees (B divided by D).

C. STORM MITIGATION MAP

A storm mitigation map has been developed and is included as part of our plan.
Copies of the storm mitigation plan are available in the office(s) of the:
Emergency Response Manager
Tree Care Manager
Public Works Director/ Traffic Engineer
Other
The storm mitigation map can also be accessed online at:

Our storm mitigation map includes the following information:

1. Critical Facilities

Hospitals
Other Critical Health Care Facilities (list below)
Fire Stations
Police Stations
Communications Networks and Facilities
Electric Utilities
Other Utility Networks and Facilities (list below)
Water System
Sanitary Sewer System

2. Transportation Network

Emergency Evacuation Routes
Street Network
Priority Streets to Critical Facilities (highlighted)

3. Trees

All Public Trees
Large Canopy Public Trees (highlighted)
Tree Canopy Density
Trees at Risk

4. Emergency Response Sites

Emergency management centers
Homeland Security offices
Personnel and Equipment Staging Areas
Debris Staging Areas
Debris Storage Areas

The person responsible for developing and updating our storm mitigation map is:

Name:
Title:
Department:
Primary Phone No.:	Alt. Phone No.:
E-mail Address:
Date of last update:

D. TREE RISK MITIGATION

1. Short-term Tree Risk Mitigation

We have a short-term tree risk mitigation program in place.
The number of trees identified during our tree risk assessment with partial or whole tree failure that require mitigation total
, including:
that require risk-reduction pruning
that require supplemental support (cabling/bracing)
that require lightning protection systems
that require pest management
that require removal
The number of trees scheduled to be pruned for risk mitigation each year is
.
The number of trees scheduled to be cabled/braced for risk mitigation each year is
.

The number of trees scheduled for lightning protection system installation each year is

.

The number of trees scheduled for pest management each year is

.

The number of trees scheduled to be removed for risk mitigation each year is

.

The number of trees scheduled to be planted to replace trees removed for risk mitigation each year is

.

2. Long-term Tree Risk Mitigation

The additional routine community forest management activities and program components that are in place in our community to further mitigate tree risk and storm damage on a long-term basis are:

Tree Care Standards and Best Management Practices
Tree Ordinance Updates
Ongoing Training Program for Tree Care Personnel
Established Tree-Care Budget
Alternate Program Funding Mechanisms
Tree Bank
Routine Street-Tree Inspection Program
Routine Large-Tree Inspection Program
Routine Pruning Program
Routine Tree Planting Program
Routine Tree Mulching, Irrigation and Soil Aeration
Recommended Tree Species List
Species Selection Guidelines
Site Selection Guidelines
Tree Planting Guidelines
Minimum Rooting Area and Soil Volume Requirements
Growing-Space Protection Requirements
Critical Root-Zone Protection Requirements
Public Information and Education Program
Program Analysis and Feedback
Species to Avoid or Not Permitted List

E. EQUIPMENT AND SERVICES

The available equipment for storm mitigation, response and recovery along with the department or other source committed to supply the equipment (equipment rental vendor, contractor or another government entity) are:

EQUIPMENT DESCRIPTION	NUMBER OF UNITS NEEDED/AVAILABLE	DEPARTMENT/SOURCE OF SUPPLY
Supervisor Vehicles	/
Crew Vehicles	/
Aerial Lift Trucks	/
Loaders	/
Chippers	/
Refuse Packers	/
Dump Trucks	/
Barricades	/
Traffic Safety Cones	/
Lighting Equipment	/
Chain Saws	/
Hand Saws	/
Pole Pruners	/
Cell Phones	/
Portable Radios	/
Computers/Tablets	/
GPS Units	/
Cameras	/
Clipboards	/
Data Sheets	/
DBH Tapes	/
Safety Vests	/
Hardhats	/
Chain Saw Chaps	/
Eye Protection	/
Ear Protection	/
First Aid Kits	/
Other	/
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
/

F. MEMORANDA OF UNDERSTANDING AND ADVANCED READINESS CONTRACTS

1. Memoranda of Understanding

Copies of existing MOUs are included in the template appendix.

Memoranda of understanding (MOUs) for storm preparation, response and recovery have been executed by the local government with the following communities, agencies, organizations, groups and individuals:

Neighboring Communities

Local Agencies

Non-Profit Organizations

Other Individuals and Groups

2. Advanced Readiness Contracts

Copies of existing ARCs are included in the template appendix.

Advanced readiness contracts (ARCs) for storm preparation, response and recovery have been executed by the local government with the following vendors and contractors:

Equipment Rental Vendors

Debris Removal Contractors

Mulch Grinding Contractors

Tree Service Contractors

Tree Suppliers

Landscape Contractors

G. COMMUNICATION, INFORMATION, EDUCATION AND AWARENESS

1. Communication

We have a designated call center established for notification of fallen and hazardous trees and tree damage.

The name and contact information for the call center is:

Name of Call Center:
Address:
Phone No.:
Fax No.:
Website:
E-mail Address:
Call Center Director/Contact:

2. Information and Education

Internal Information Sharing

During storm preparation, information will be shared internally by:

Phone Calls	Meetings (notices, agendas, minutes)
E-mails	Quarterly
Predetermined and Set Up Cloud-Based Storage Site	Semi-Annual
Annual

The person responsible for coordinating internal information sharing about community forest storm damage mitigation planning, preparation, response and recovery is:

Name:
Title:
Department:
Primary Phone No.:	Alt. Phone No.:
E-mail Address:

External Information Sharing

Government Websites
Community Forest Management Program Website
Neighborhood Association Website
Facebook Page
Twitter Account
Phone (see storm mitigation team contact list)
E-mail (see storm mitigation team contact list)
Cloud-Based Storage Site
Pamphlets and Brochures
Meetings:	Quarterly	Semi-Annual	Annual
Scripts and Recorded Public Service Announcements
Press Releases and Newspaper Articles

The person responsible for coordinating external information sharing and education about storm preparation, response and recovery is:

Name:
Title:
Department:
Primary Phone No.:	Alt. Phone No.:
E-mail Address:

Information and Education Topics

The community has information readily available to disseminate to the public on storm preparation, response and recovery.

The information available by topic and format is indicated in the following chart:

TOPIC	WRITTEN SCRIPT	RECORDED PSA	ARTICLE /PRESS RELEASE	WEBSITE /SOCIAL MEDIA	BROCHURE/HANDOUT
Benefits of Trees
Tree Maintenance Standards and BMPs
When and How to Hire an Arborist
Chain Saw Safety
Storm Severity and Damage Magnitude
Debris Pick-up Schedule and Procedures
Type of Debris to be Collected
Expected Clean-up Time
Post-storm Hazards (hangers, leaning trees, downed power lines)
Caring for Storm Damaged Trees
Tree Selection and Planting BMPs
Public Park Closures

The media outlets that will be used for disseminating information on storm preparation, response and recovery include:

Websites	Television Stations
Social Media	Newspapers
Radio Stations	Public Meetings

The person responsible for distributing written information, press releases and public service announcements to the public and the media is:

Name:
Title:
Organization/Company/Agency:
Primary Phone No.:	Alt. Phone No.:
E-mail Address:

The person responsible for coordinating educational opportunities for the public is:

Name:
Title:
Organization/Company/Agency:
Primary Phone No.:	Alt. Phone No.:
E-mail Address:

3. Awareness

The community coordinates the dissemination of storm preparation information during state-wide and national weather and emergency awareness programs.

The dates of upcoming statewide and national weather and emergency awareness weeks and days that will be the focus of information dissemination are:

Air Quality Awareness Week
Fire Prevention Week
Hurricane Preparedness Week
Severe Weather Preparedness Week
Tsunami Awareness Week
Flood Awareness Week
Heat Awareness Day
Lightning Safety Awareness Week

H. PREPARATION RECORD KEEPING

The following records are maintained and kept in the tree care manager’s office and online in a cloud-based storage service as appropriate.

Storm Mitigation Team Contact Information
Storm Mitigation Team Meeting Announcements, Agendas and Minutes
Community Forest Storm Mitigation Plan
Storm Mitigation Map
Memoranda of Understanding
Advance Readiness Contracts
Data and Cost Information for:
Program Administration (Personnel And Overhead)
Tree Canopy Assessments
Tree Risk Assessments
Tree Inventory Assessments
Tree Pruning
Cabling and Bracing
Lightning Protection
Tree Removal
Other Tree Maintenance
Date, Amount and Source Of Volunteer Hours for Program Activities
Public Information Scripts, Public Service Announcements and Press Releases

PART III. STORM RESPONSE

A. MOBILIZATION

Crews will be mobilized to clear fallen trees and woody debris from the highest priority areas as identified on the storm mitigation map. These priority areas will include:

Priority Roads
Priority Facilities
Emergency Evacuation Routes
Buildings, Vehicles or Other Situations with a Personal Injury
Buildings and Vehicles Without Injured Persons
Utility Repair
Remaining Rights-of-Way, Public Buildings and Public Facilities

The person responsible for mobilizing resources to respond to storm damage and dispatching crews to remove fallen trees and woody debris is:

Name:
Title:
Department:
Primary Phone No.:	Alt. Phone No.:
E-mail Address:

B. DEBRIS MANAGEMENT

1. Debris Staging and Storage

One or more debris storage sites that will accommodate large volumes of woody debris and logs have been established.

Debris storage sites have been established in the following locations:

1.
2.
3.
4.

The person responsible for coordinating debris staging and storage is:

Name:
Title:
Department:
Primary Phone No.:	Alt. Phone No.:
E-mail Address:

2. Debris Estimation

The person responsible for debris estimation is:

Name:
Title:
Department:
Primary Phone No.:	Alt. Phone No.:
E-mail Address:

C. TREE RISK AND DAMAGE ASSESSMENTS

Tree risk and damage assessments will be performed within 30 days of the storm event by one or more of the following groups or individuals:
Government Staff
Consultants
Urban Forest Strike Teams
Trained Volunteers

The person responsible for coordinating tree risk and damage assessment crews is:

Name:
Title:
Department:
Primary Phone No.:	Alt. Phone No.:
E-mail Address:

Trees with the following conditions and structural defects should be pruned or removed to reduce further damage potential:

Hangers (detached limbs hanging in the crown; remove limb only)
Splitting Limbs (prune or remove)
Splitting Trunks (cable or remove)
Leaning Trunk with Soil Broken and Heaved Opposite the Lean (remove)
Exposed Heartwood
Other Conditions (list below)
We have a policy in place that trees that do not pose an imminent risk of failure will not be removed until a tree damage assessment has been completed to avoid the removal of trees that are still viable and valuable to the community.

The person responsible for determining which standing trees should be removed is:

Name:
Title:
Department:
Primary Phone No.:	Alt. Phone No.:
E-mail Address:

D. INFORMATION

The person responsible for providing information to the public during a storm event is:

Name:
Title:
Department:
Primary Phone No.:	Alt. Phone No.:
E-mail Address:

E. RESPONSE RECORD KEEPING

During initial storm response, the following records will be retained:

Tree and Debris Removal Call Log
Debris Removal Costs
Debris Volume Estimates
Number and Location of Trees Removed
Number and Location of Trees Pruned
Number and Location of Stumps Removed
Hazardous Tree, Limb and Stump Removal Costs
Contractor Invoices
Staff Hours By Person
Equipment Hours By Piece of Equipment
Volunteer Hours By Person and Activity
Volunteer Contact Information
Tree Damage Assessment Data and Costs

F. FEMA PUBLIC ASSISTANCE GRANTS

1. Hazardous Trees Documentation

Documentation retained for hazardous tree removal includes:

Spreadsheet showing the number of trees removed and size and location of each tree
Location of hazardous trees removed including the street/road name and GPS coordinates of each tree removed along public rights-of-way, and the property address and GPS coordinates of each tree removed from private property
Photographs of trees cut flush with the ground along with a certification that the trees were 6 inches or larger in diameter

2. Hazardous Limbs Documentation

Documentation retained for hazardous limb removal includes:

Spreadsheet showing the location of the trees and number of limbs cut on each tree (information on number of hazardous limbs removed per tree is not necessary if removal was contracted for on a per-tree basis)
Certification that the limbs were 2 inches or larger in diameter
Locations of hazardous limb removals including the street/road name and GPS coordinates of each tree with hazardous limbs removed along public rights-of-way, and the property address and GPS coordinates for trees with hazardous limbs removed on private property
Photographs showing the number of limbs cut

3. Hazardous Stumps Documentation

Documentation retained for hazardous stump removal includes:

Hazardous Stump Worksheet (http://www.fema.gov/pdf/government/grant/pa/9523_11.pdf)
Number of hazardous stumps removed, locations and sizes
Quantity of fill material required to fill the remaining hole
Photographs of the stumps removed

The person responsible for documenting the hazardous trees, limbs and stumps removed is:

Name:
Title:
Department:
Primary Phone No.:	Alt. Phone No.:
E-mail Address:

PART IV. STORM RECOVERY

A. POST-STORM MITIGATION ANALYSIS

The activities that contributed most to the mitigation of tree-related damage during the most recent storm(s) are:

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

The greatest areas of need identified during the most recent storm(s) for preparation and mitigation for future storms are:

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

B. SUMMARY OF TREE LOSSES

A summary of the number of public trees lost by species and diameter breast height (DBH) category will be completed after each storm event, using the following chart:

The total number of public trees lost in the most recent storm by species and size category are:

SPECIES COMMON NAME	NUMBER OF TREES BY DBH CATEGORY
< 6”	7-12”	13-18”	19-24”	25-30”	31-36”	>36”
TOTAL

C. INVENTORY OF POTENTIAL PLANTING SITES

SITE TYPE*	LOCATION	STREET	ADDRESS	GROWING SPACE**	RECOMMENDED SPECIES
* Street, Park, Cemetery, Facility, School, etc.	** Mature Tree Size of Large, Medium or Small
Inventory Date:	Page of

D. TREE SPECIES SELECTION

Our community has adopted an official list of trees recommended for planting in our area that is used as a guide for selecting trees for planting on public property.

In our area, fast-growing, weak-wooded species and other species to be avoided include:

Bradford Pear
Silver Maple
Royal Paulownia (Princess Tree)
Ash
Hemlock
Other

E. TREE REPLACEMENT PLAN

To replace trees lost after a storm event, a public tree replacement plan will be developed that takes into account the number of tree losses, number of available planting sites inventoried, and available resources. We will adopt a goal of planting a specific number of trees per year an appropriate number of years.

We have developed a written 3-year maintenance plan that includes mulching, watering, pest management, structural pruning and inspection of all newly-planted trees.

The person responsible for developing and coordinating the community’s tree replacement plan is:

Name:
Title:
Department:
Primary Phone No.:	Alt. Phone No.:
E-mail Address:

The person responsible for new tree maintenance is:

Name:
Title:
Department:
Primary Phone No.:	Alt. Phone No.:
E-mail Address:

F. TREE REPLACEMENT PARTNERS

The person(s) responsible for soliciting financial, labor and material assistance for tree replacement are:

1. Tree Care Manager/Storm Mitigation Team Members

Name:
Title:
Department:
Primary Phone No.:	Alt. Phone No.:
E-mail Address:

Name:
Title:
Department:
Primary Phone No.:	Alt. Phone No.:
E-mail Address:

Name:
Title:
Department:
Primary Phone No.:	Alt. Phone No.:
E-mail Address:

Name:
Title:
Department:
Primary Phone No.:	Alt. Phone No.:
E-mail Address:
Name:
Title:
Department:
Primary Phone No.:	Alt. Phone No.:
E-mail Address:

Name:
Title:
Department:
Primary Phone No.:	Alt. Phone No.:
E-mail Address:

Name:
Title:
Department:
Primary Phone No.:	Alt. Phone No.:
E-mail Address:

Name:
Title:
Department:
Primary Phone No.:	Alt. Phone No.:
E-mail Address:

2. Tree Replacement Program Partners

Name:
Title:
Organization/Company/Agency:
Primary Phone No.:	Alt. Phone No.:
E-mail Address:

Name:
Title:
Organization/Company/Agency:
Primary Phone No.:	Alt. Phone No.:
E-mail Address:

Name:
Title:
Organization/Company/Agency:
Primary Phone No.:	Alt. Phone No.:
E-mail Address:

Name:
Title:
Organization/Company/Agency:
Primary Phone No.:	Alt. Phone No.:
E-mail Address:

Name:
Title:
Organization/Company/Agency:
Primary Phone No.:	Alt. Phone No.:
E-mail Address:

Name:
Title:
Organization/Company/Agency:
Primary Phone No.:	Alt. Phone No.:
E-mail Address:

Name:
Title:
Organization/Company/Agency:
Primary Phone No.:	Alt. Phone No.:
E-mail Address:

Name:
Title:
Organization/Company/Agency:
Primary Phone No.:	Alt. Phone No.:
E-mail Address:

G. ONGOING TREE RISK MITIGATION

We have an ongoing tree risk mitigation program that focuses on:
Improvement of Tree Health
Routine Tree Pruning
Quality Tree Species, Tree and Site Selection
Routine Tree Maintenance Including Watering, Mulching, Pest Management and Inspections
Tree Protection

The person responsible for coordinating ongoing tree risk mitigation is:

Name:
Title:
Department:
Primary Phone No.:	Alt. Phone No.:
E-mail Address:

H. INFORMATION AND EDUCATION

We have a program in place to identify the individuals, organizations and companies that deserve recognition for their efforts in storm response and recovery.

The person responsible for coordinating the recognition program for response and recover is:

Name:
Title:
Department:
Primary Phone No.:	Alt. Phone No.:
E-mail Address:

During long-term response, our community forest information and education program will continue and will focus on the following topics:

Tree and Tree Canopy Loss Results
Tree Planting Programs and Grants
Availability of Assistance and Materials, Including Volunteer Labor, Replacement Trees, Mulch
When and How to Hire an ISA Certified Arborist
Ongoing Tree Risk Assessment
Tree Health Maintenance
Crown Restoration Pruning
Recommended Species for Planting
Tree Planting Techniques
Tree Benefits

Information and education programs that will be utilized during long-term recovery to communicate with the public will include:

Recognition Programs for Responders
Field Demonstrations
Neighborhood Workshops
Website Content
Newspaper Articles
Public Service Announcements

I. RECOVERY RECORD KEEPING

Staff Hours
Equipment Hours
Volunteer Hours
Contractor Invoices
Donations by Source and Value with Contact Information
Tree Purchase Data (nursery source, number purchased by species and cultivar) and Costs
Tree Planting Data (species, location, date) and Costs
Tree Survival Data (annual results)

The person(s) responsible for maintaining long-term recovery records are:

Name:
Title:
Department:
Primary Phone No.:	Alt. Phone No.:
E-mail Address:

Name:
Title:
Department:
Primary Phone No.:	Alt. Phone No.:
E-mail Address:

APPENDICES

Additional supplemental information and documents included as part of our Community Forest Storm Mitigation Plan are located in the appendices that follow.

Appendix A
Appendix B
Appendix C
Appendix D
Appendix E
Appendix F
Appendix G
Appendix H
Appendix I
Appendix J
Appendix K
Appendix L
Appendix M
Appendix N
Appendix O
Appendix P
Appendix Q
Appendix R
Appendix S

Notes: