ASHEVILLE – A collaboration between governmental agencies and nonprofit and faith-based organizations is repurposing some of the remnants of Tropical Storm Helene’s destruction into use for local residents.
As part of a project developed by FEMA’s Interagency Recovery Coordination, thousands of trees damaged by Helene will be repurposed under a state project, FEMA announced in a news release Nov. 13.
The coordination was established by the federal disaster recovery coordinator to meet challenges presented by Helene and ensure interagency coordination for disaster recovery in North Carolina.
According to the release, more than 320,000 pounds had already been removed as part of the project.
One of the stages of the project includes clearing debris and fallen trees at the North Carolina Arboretum in South Asheville.
The Citizen Times met with Drake Fowler, the Arboretum’s executive director, and members of the Army Corps of Engineer Nov. 16 while Fowler led the Corps and a tour and assessment of the property for Debra Morris, a FEMA debris team lead, and a group of Army Corps of Engineers’ debris removal team based out of Louisville, Kentucky.