Winter Storm Fern Highlights the Need for Long-Term Disaster Recovery for Forests
Winter Storm Fern has caused significant damage across forested landscapes, leaving many timber producers and family forestry businesses assessing the impacts on their land.
Ice accumulation caused damage across forest stands of all ages, with impacts ranging from broken tops and stem damage to uprooted trees and complete stand loss. An additional layer of concern is the timing of the storm, which occurred during the height of planting season in the Southeast. Newly planted seedlings are particularly vulnerable, and mortality rates may be significant in affected areas. In many cases, the full extent of the damage will not be immediately apparent and may only become clear as the growing season progresses. For forest-based businesses, these losses are not short-term disruptions – they can alter management plans, reduce future timber value, and create long-lasting financial uncertainty.
Unlike many agricultural disasters, forest damage often unfolds over years. Timber is a long-term asset, and the consequences of severe weather events like Winter Storm Fern can linger for decades, affecting regeneration, harvest schedules, and the ability of family forestry businesses to pass land on to the next generation. Cleanup and reforestation are costly, and existing disaster programs too often fail to reflect the unique timelines and economics of forestry.
This is why the Forest Landowners Association remains focused on advancing long-term disaster recovery tools designed specifically to allow forests to recover. While emergency response and short-term cleanup assistance are important, they are not enough. Effective recovery requires policies that recognize timber as a long-term investment and provide certainty and support well beyond the immediate aftermath of a storm.
FLA is the only national forestry association leading the charge on comprehensive disaster recovery for America’s forests. Our advocacy is centered on three core policy solutions:
FLA’s Policy Solutions for Forest Disaster Recovery
1. Tax Certainty
FLA supports incorporating legislation such as the Disaster Reforestation Act to provide long-term tax certainty for timber producers and family forestry businesses by allowing disaster-related timber losses to be deducted. This approach acknowledges the long-term nature of forest investments and helps family forestry businesses recover financially after catastrophic events.
2. Improving the Emergency Forest Restoration Program (EFRP)
FLA is advocating for enhancements to existing programs like the Emergency Forest Restoration Program through the Emergency Conservation Program Improvement Act. These improvements would streamline cleanup and technical assistance by providing upfront payments, helping forest-related businesses act quickly to address storm damage and begin recovery.
3. Comprehensive Disaster Relief
FLA supports the establishment of a permanent, forest-appropriate disaster relief framework, including direct payment programs such as WHIP+ or state-administered block grants, along with improvements to insurance options for timber producers. Together, these tools would provide meaningful, timely support following major natural disasters.
FLA continues to advance these priorities in Congress, including ongoing advocacy for the Disaster Reforestation Act and upcoming meetings with the Chair of the House Ways and Means Committee to push for durable, forest-focused disaster recovery solutions. Events like Winter Storm Fern reinforce why long-term policy leadership matters—and why FLA will remain at the forefront of this effort on behalf of timber producers and family forestry businesses nationwide.