THIS WORK IS IN SUPPORT OF HURRICANE HELENE RECOVERY. THE COLLABORATION WILL GREATLY FACILITATE DEVELOPMENT OF BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES TAKING ADVANTAGE OF SPECIALIZED SKILLS, RESOURCES, AND LABOR AS WELL AS EXPERTISE IN FOREST HEALTH RELATED TO CATASTROPHIC WIND DAMAGE. OUR APPROACH REDUCES RELIANCE ON DIRECT HIRING OR CONTRACT LABOR, WHICH IS FINANCIALLY AND ADMINISTRATIVELY BURDENSOME. THIS WORK BUILDS ON PRIOR COLLABORATIVE WORK IN THE WAKE OF HURRICANE MICHAEL, AND OTHER WORK USING TORNADOES AS A SURROGATE SYSTEM FOR EXAMINING WINDEFFECTS ON FOREST HEALTH. THE PROJECT WILL PROVIDE A RAPID ASSESSMENT OF SHORT-TERM TREE MORTALITY AND DIEBACK, IMPACTS OF DAMAGING INSECTS AND PATHOGENS, LONGER-TERM RESIDUAL TREE LEVEL EFFECTS,DELAYED MORTALITY, AND IMPLICATIONS FOR DAMAGING INSECTS AND DISEASE, AND PROVIDE TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER FOR BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES FOR TIMBER PRODUCTION AND SALVAGE IN RESPONSE TOFUTURE EVENTS. THE FUNDS WILL SUPPORT PERSONNEL FACULTY AND GRADUATE STUDENTS, MATERIALS AND SUPPLIES, AND TRAVEL NECESSARY TO CONDUCT THE WORK.