State’s Timber Resources Suffer Estimated Over $4 Million in Damages

The South Carolina Forestry Commission estimates the damage to the state’s timber resources from the April 13 tornado activity tops $4 million. Seven teams of foresters conducted tornado storm damage surveys covering nearly 64,000 acres, and found that over 42,000 acres experienced some amount of timber damage; however, officials estimate that fewer than 4,300 acres received significant damage and will have to be reforested. The hardest hit counties were Oconee, Orangeburg, Colleton, Berkeley, Marlboro, Hampton, Greenville and Aiken. Although 13 counties sustained damage, these eight accounted for more than 95 percent of the timber losses.