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RSS feed source: Federal Emergency Management Agency

RALEIGH, N.C. – Thousands of trees damaged by Tropical Storm Helene will be repurposed under a North Carolina project developed through Interagency Recovery Coordination (IRC), a team of federal, state and local government, non-profits and faith-based organizations. More than 320,000 pounds of wood has already been removed.

“This marks the transition from response to long-term recovery,” said Thomas J. McCool, federal coordinating officer for North Carolina’s disaster operation. “The IRC’s innovative collaboration is tailored specifically to western North Carolina and leverages the unique skills, expertise and tools of every organization involved.” 

Stages of the project include clearing debris and fallen trees from the North Carolina Arboretum south of Asheville. The arboretum has walking trails, gardens and an educational center that serve 600,000 visitors per year. Helene knocked down more than 5,000 trees across trails and roads in the 434-acre site in the Pisgah National Forest, making the park nonoperational.

The project is already sending logs to a staging area to be sorted based on potential use. The wood will then be distributed to residents and communities for firewood, furniture material, mulch and more. 

The IRC was established by the federal disaster recovery coordinator to meet challenges presented by Helene and ensure interagency coordination for disaster recovery in North Carolina. With debris removal underway at the arboretum, IRC partners have removed 65 truckloads of timber to date, allowing

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