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. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Executive Summary Natural disasters which can occur in the United States include floods, hurricanes, tornadoes, and related high-velocity winds, as well as ice storms. Preparing for these natural disasters, which strike urban forests in large cities and small communities, should involve the cooperative effort of a wide array of municipal agencies, private arboricultural companies, utilities, and volunteers. Principles and methods determining how to mitigate or minimize the impact of natural disasters are critical in determining the capability of communities to respond. Similarly, replanting the uprooted urban forest also requires a closely coordinated effort of key civic leaders, elected officials, community foresters, and managers of municipal agencies. This manual is intended to assist community leaders and governmental agencies to prepare for natural disasters, respond appropriately when these natural disasters occur, and recover from the subsequent loss of vegetation. For urban foresters, mitigation involves efforts to prevent or minimize damage or loss of trees in areas affected by natural disasters. The three chronological emergency action phases for natural disasters involve: Preparation--planning and warning activities Responsenimmediate activity during and after natural disasters Recovery--activities to regain or improve upon pre-disaster conditions A flexible action plan must be created as part of the preparation for natural disasters. This plan is a critical step. Many activities can be accomplished prior to a natural disaster. These can reduce the severity of its impact. Technical and practical training helps prepare professionals and lay persons for rapid and efficient mobilization. Communities must recognize that disaster damage often exceeds what can be handled by municipal workers. Thus, a list of private and public cooperators should be developed and kept up-to- date. One of the most important preparation activities is the proper planting and maintenance of the urban forest. If trees are planted improperly, or in the wrong site, and if trees are not given adequate care, they may sustain greater damage than trees that are properly planted and cared for. Identification of an effective early warning system for natural disasters is essential. Three to five hours of lead time before severe weather strikes can be gained using information from the National Weather Service, consulting meteorological firms, TV weather channels, or local municipal police departments. Small-sized communities differ from medium- to large-sized communities in that they usually do not administer a public works department or municipal tree program. Unfortunately, for many small communities, natural disasters may often be poorly managed for lack of planning 19