Financial relief is now available to assist timber owners in Alabama who suffered damages from the southern pine beetle this summer. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) today announced that all 67 Alabama counties have been approved for the Emergency Forest Restoration Program (EFRP) to restore and rehabilitate private forest lands impacted by severe drought and related insect infestation damage. The EFRP signup period runs from September 30, 2024, to March 31, 2025.

The Alabama Forestry Commission (AFC) has identified 10,253 southern pine beetle (SPB) spots affecting approximately 3.1 million trees across the state. These numbers equate to an estimated 3.5 million tons of dead wood on the landscape. At current stumpage prices, this is a value loss of approximately $87.5 million.