Immediately, efforts were underway to determine an estimate of damaged timber and began the process of a salvage timber sale. Due to the degree of damage spread throughout the forest, as well as hazardous conditions, the damage assessment was painstakingly slow. Approximately 215 acres of mature timber was damaged, as well as 120 acres of pine plantations and 180 acres of hardwood bottomlands.

    After hours of preparation for an emergency salvage timber sale and numerous hurdles, logging finally began on Lee Forest on November 1, 2005. The intention of the logging operation was to harvest only storm damaged trees. Logging operations lasted over two months, with the last load removed in January, 2006. Totals of timber volume (Doyle Rule) salvaged from the forest are noted below.

Pine sawtimber           685 mbf

Pine Chip-n-Saw         360 cords

Pine Pulpwood            803 cords

Hardwood Sawtimber 72 mbf

Hardwood Pulpwood  175 cords

    As compared to the timber damage, the facilities at Lee Forest suffered only minor damage. Shingles and tin were ripped from roofs, a tree top went through the roof of a small pump shed, two other sheds were completely crushed by toppled trees, a propane gas line was unearthed by a tree stump and its roots. Other damage occurred such as broken windows and hundreds of feet of damaged fencing. With the quick response of the LSU AG Center and Facilities Planning, repairs were completed in a timely manner.

     The process of debris removal on Lee Forest proved to be a major feat. The powerful storm left entire trees and debris scattered around the headquarters’ area like toothpicks spilled on the kitchen floor. The many miles of roads throughout the forest were blocked by countless wind-blown trees. 

     Clean-up on the forest began with two main objectives. First, all debris and trees were cleared away from the facilities and utility rights-of-way to improve access and safety for the Lee Forest staff, the contractors making repairs on the facilities, the families that live on the forest, and the utility crews working to restore electricity to the area. Second, all roads were cleared to improve access to the forest for LSU personnel, as well as the logging crew. The Lee Forest staff worked an astonishing 260 hours in the weeks after the storm, just removing debris.

     Between the heavy equipment of the logging operation and the equipment used by the forest staff, many miles of roads had to be stabilized and repaired. Erosion was an issue and was addressed as soon as possible. In compliance with Louisiana’s Best Management Practices, wing ditches were installed on roads, water bars were built on fire lanes, and seeding was done on logging decks and any areas were the soil was exposed.

     It has now been ten months since Katrina made history in Washington Parish, and recovery of the forest is still underway. Some previously forested areas were so devastated that reforestation is now required. Site preparation is underway on these areas and planned for regeneration this fall. Other areas, such as the many acres of pine plantations that were damaged, are still in a disastrous state and plans for addressing this issue are in the works. The percent of damage in these plantations varies from site to site, making it difficult to determine a plan of action.

     In just a few hours Hurricane Katrina laid down enough timber in Washington Parish to equal two years worth of average timber harvests. Not only was this devastating enough, it also dramatically reduced the value of timber over the course of a day. This, in effect, will hurt the operating budget of Lee Memorial Forest, not now, but in the long run. Years of scheduled harvesting on the forest was removed in two months; however, with proper forest management and carefully scheduled future harvests, the forest will recover and prosper as it once did.

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