Linda Jark

Forestry Program and New Trees Important to Tornado Recovery

On the night of June 11, 2008, a deadly tornado struck Chapman leaving behind a trail of destruction. Much of the tree canopy in the heart of this farming community was wiped away.

To make matters worse, the community had no organized tree program. That's when the Kansas Forest Service got involved. The state uses U.S. Forest Service funds to staff community forester positions throughout the state, with one district community forester located at Kansas State University. This alert individual promptly contacted city officials in Chapman and offered technical assistance to help the community address the storm.

Over the next several years, the Kansas Forest Service helped start a tree board and guide an inventory of the community's tree population. Information from the inventory leveraged FEMA assistance to remove dangerous trees and stumps and guide tree replacement.

Linda Jark was appointed chair of the new tree board. She is quick to praise the assistance that Chapman received after the tornado. For her, this made all the difference.

"Thanks to the Kansas Forest Service, we got the right information and recommendations," said Linda. The community's tree program is now thriving and continues to grow. "Now it's starting to show," said Linda. "We have growth. The forestry program is in the public's eye."

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