Extreme Hurricanes and Forest-Sector Employment: Evidence from Hurricane Michael

Hurricanes of increasing intensity are major disturbances in the southeastern United States, affecting working forests and forest-dependent economies. This study examines employment impacts of Hurricane Michael across the forestry supply chain, including forestry, logging, and wood products industries. Using a weighted difference-in-difference model with entropy balancing and heterogeneous damage intensity, we estimate county-level employment effects. Results suggest that wood products manufacturing experienced significant employment losses due to the hurricane, while forestry and logging employment increased significantly across all damage levels. Findings highlight the mixed resilience of forestry industries to extreme storms, providing critical insights for stakeholders developing adaptation strategies.