As floodwaters recede along the Missouri River, property owners face some tough questions. Are trees in damaged areas still alive? Are they safe to walk under, drive under? Are root systems exposed or buried under debris? What can be done to assess present, and even future, damage? Are there things that can be done to minimize damage done by the flooding?
A series of workshops from the Nebraska Forest Service is designed to answer questions about landscape care related to flooding. Graham Herbst of the forest service said the goal is to get as much information out as possible, "to minimize the risk to people, property and infrastructure."
Herbst said the free sessions aimed at homeowners will include a panel discussion by tree care professionals and will allow time for questions and answers. If participants want to bring photos of flood damage, Herbst said, panelists will address individual issues as time allows. In Omaha, a workshop for tree industry and government professionals will precede the homeowner workshop. The sessions will be taped for an online video series to be available at a later date.
For more information about the workshops, call Graham Herbst at 402-444-7804. More information about the workshops and about dealing with flood damage can be found at: http://www.nfs.unl.edu/treecare.asp
The schedule:
Monday, Sept. 26, at the South Sioux City High School Auditorium, 3301 G Street
Workshop for homeowners from 6:30-8 p.m.
Thursday, Sept. 29, at Fontenelle Nature Association in Bellevue, 1111 Bellevue Boulevard North
Workshop for tree care and governmental professionals from 3:30-5 p.m.
Workshop for homeowners from 6:30-8 p.m.
More details at: http://www.nfs.unl.edu/treecare.asp