ASHFIELD — Was your property struck by the tornado on Feb. 25? Do you have a lot of damaged trees that need to be cleaned up for safety reasons?
If so, apply to the Franklin County Farm Service Agency in Greenfield for financial assistance to make your woodlands and trees safe. There is money available to help pay part of the cost of cleaning up damaged trees and woodlands, but only if property owners apply before the 30-day application period ends on May 3.
To help landowners find out about their options, the Massachusetts Department of Conservation & Recreation’s Service Forestry Program, FSA, and the Forest Alliance are holding a free Forest Restoration Funding Assistance Information Program Thursday, April 13, at 6:30 p.m. in the Ashfield Town Hall, on Route 116.
Landowners can find out what assistance is available from the Emergency Forest Restoration Program; how to apply; how to get the required Forest Cutting permits to do the work; and how to find qualified foresters or loggers to get the work done safely.
“The Feb. 25 tornado not only damaged many buildings in Goshen, Conway and Ashfield, but it also wreaked havoc on trees and woodlands in those heavily wooded towns,” said Forest Alliance Program Director Greg Cox. “While the downed trees and limbs that blocked residents from using roads or getting to their homes have been cleared up, there are still thousands of damaged and broken trees standing, hanging, or fallen that pose significant safety issues in the tornado area. Many of those trees were cracked or twisted by tornado winds, making them extremely dangerous to cut down.”
The Franklin County Farm Service Agency office got approval for this funding to help landowners clean up the tornado problems; it opened a 30-day application period on April 3. After the application period closes, the FSA committee will determine how much money landowners qualify for and then approve applications. Total funding for the cleanup depends, in part, on how many landowners apply.
“After a disaster occurs, there are so many things to deal with that landowners may put off dealing with tree and woodland damage because other issues are more pressing,” said Cox. “It is important to take a little time now to apply for these forest restoration funds while the ground is too wet to work on, so that when the ground dries out and you’re ready to get your trees or woods cleaned up, you’ll have the money available to pay to get the work done.”
For information about the Emergency Forest Restoration Program, landowners can call the Franklin County FSA office at 413-772-6810, ext. 2, or visit http://disaster.fsa.usda.gov
For information about cleanup options and required permits, landowners should call DCR Service Forester Alison Wright-Hunter at 413-262-2370 or email her at Alison.wright@state.ma.us.
The Massachusetts Forest Alliance (MFA) is a nonprofit organization that represents forest landowners and forest industry professionals, and advocates for a strong, sustainable forest economy in the Commonwealth. For information, see www.massforestalliance.net.