Forests After Florence: Application of 360° Photography and Oral History to Document Hurricane Impacts on Urban Forests and Communities in Coastal North Carolina

Of the 4,797 NCSU students impacted in 2018, we selected 50 to participate in a learning experience focusing on student resilience and hurricane impacts on urban forests. Most students come from counties in the coastal plain which are susceptible to damage from flooding. Initial survey found that 21.9% of students (N=110) indicated some level of impact ranging from moderate to substantial, 18.8% of students indicated major impacts, and 32.3% reported minor impacts. Students reporting a lower level of social integration experience the highest impact. The majority of students strongly agree that temperatures and frequency of hurricanes is likely to increase in the future. Most students also report a high affinity for a diversity of tree species in their neighborhood forest despite relatively moderate knowledge of the local species. During summer 2019, students documented damage to the forests in their communities through: 1. 360° photography at 566 sites, and 2. oral history interviews with community members. This combination of immersive visuals and oral history narratives helps us develop a rich understanding on how both communities and local ecosystems respond to hurricanes and how we build greater resilience.