FLOOD06155 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Chapter 2 Coping With Natural Disasters 2.1 Chapter Summary Mitigation activities work to eliminate or reduce the occurrence of future disasters. From an urban forestry perspective, mitigation activities are efforts to prevent or minimize damage or loss of trees affected by natural disasters. Natural disaster activities consist of three chronological phases: preparation, response and recovery. Morentz et a/. (1982) has identified eleven mitigation categories that are key to those involved in natural disasters. These categories are: management, public participation, rules, economics, monitoring, planning, research, structural, assessment, influence, and professional training. 2.2 Chapter Outline I. Mitigation Defined II. Mitigation Action Categories A. Management B. Public Participation C. Rules D. Economics E. Monitoring F. Planning G. Research H. Structural I. Assessment J. Influence K. Professional Training III. For More Information 2.3 Mitigation Defined The term "mitigation" refers to "activities which eliminate or reduce the occurrence of future disasters." Mitigation consists of efforts undertaken in an orderly and planned fashion to accomplish the long-term preventive avoidance of the impacts of hazards on society (Morentz et a/. 1982). Mitigation can be interpreted by an urban forester as efforts to prevent or minimize damage or loss of trees affected by natural disasters. Examples of mitigation activities related to urban forestry include: removal of hazardous trees; pruning trees properly to maintain health and structural integrity; planting trees appropriate to a communities' hardiness zone; and minimizing damage to the roots during construction activities. 117