Wildfire in Sabine Parish, August 2023. Courtesy of Sabine Parish Sheriff's Office Facebook page.
In west-central Louisiana where the drought and wildfires have ravaged thousands of acres of forests, it only adds insult to injury to landowners who incurred losses from Hurricanes Laura and Delta just three years ago. Forester Robbie Hutchins with the LSU AgCenter said it’s difficult to explain the devastation that’s occurred.
“I can’t overestimate or even describe the destruction and the loss that’s been experienced by forest landowners and some homeowners in the areas affected,” said Hutchins.
Forestry and forest products have more than a $10 billion annual impact on the state. Hutchins said there’s no Federal relief for forest landowners, but State Ag and Forestry does assist landowners with site preparation and the replanting of timber stands.
“But there are no programs out there for forest landowners to recoup their economic losses,” said Hutchins.
In addition to the economic losses from the subsequent natural disasters and wildfires, Hutchins said the impacts are felt across the state. Forests provide clean air, clean water, wildlife habitats, and beauty.
“It’s important for all of us to have healthy productive forests. It is really a situation where many landowners are now having to face this decision of what next,” said Hutchins.
Hutchins said most forest landowners look to grow their timber for approximately 30 years. He said at that age, it’s an economic value loss of around $2,500 per acre.
Comments