A Comprehensive Evaluation of Economic Impacts of Hurricanes on the Southern Forest Sector: A Case Study of Hurricane Helene

Title: A Comprehensive Assessment of Economic Impacts of Hurricanes on the Southern Forest Sector: A Case Study of Hurricane Helene Abstract Hurricanes can have devastating impacts on timberlands and local communities; however, rapid damage assessments following major hurricanes and tropical storm systems have generally focused on immediate economic impacts to discrete industries such as, timber, infrastructure, and construction, and differ in their scope and methodology. These assessments generally do not account for long-run economy-wide and biological impacts due to long-term effects of flooding, saltwater intrusion, timber supply, and socio-economic recovery efforts. Accordingly, it is important to note that hurricanes can also stimulate some economic industries following immediate disruptions as post-hurricane recovery and rebuilding efforts generate several economic activities in the region such as reconstruction of damaged buildings and infrastructure as well as activities associated with the retail and hospitality sectors. While there has been a recent increase in research relating to impacts of natural disasters on forests, there is currently limited literature on the cumulative, interacting impacts from hurricanes on regional forest-dependent economies. The purpose of this study is to assess the perceived and realized impacts to the forest sector, a critical industry for southern rural economies and communities, and synthesize new knowledge and innovations that assess damage from hurricanes and tropical storms.