By Lisa Romano

December 11 was an exciting day for many people in western Massachusetts. The severe ice storm, which knocked out power for many people for over a week, took a toll on the region. Driving around the area following the storm, it’s apparent that many of our trees took the brunt of the storm; the added tons of ice were simply too much for many trees to withstand. Fortunately, the woods in western Massachusetts are comprised of species (oaks, maples, hemlocks) that are resistant or moderately resistant to the effects of ice storms.  

If you manage your woods for timber, the damaged trees you see remaining after the ice storm can be alarming. But trees are resilient and many of them should recover and retain much of their value, given some time. Trees that were already in good form and health have the best chance of withstanding damage. The rule of thumb is that trees with less than 50% crown damage will most likely recover, though growth may slow. Crown damage between 50% and 75% is not necessarily fatal though growth will likely be suppressed and the tree will be more susceptible to infestation, disease, and rot. It is recommended that trees with this extent of damage be checked every 3 to 5 years following the storm to track recovery. If after time a tree does not seem to be regaining health and vigor, it may be time to harvest it, if not leaving it standing for non-timber purposes. Trees with the most extensive damage, over 75% crown destruction, are unlikely to recover.

If retaining timber or sugar value in your woods is important to you, now is a great time to call in a professional forester to assess the damage your trees sustained. Your local service forester (to find yours, navigate to http://massacorn.net/index.php/localcontact) is available to come out for a one-time, free consultation to help you determine what steps you should take to prevent additional damage to your woods (from infestation of nearby damaged trees, falling trees, etc.) and to suggest what, if any, silvicultural management might be helpful in restoring your woods. In many cases, a wait and see approach is often the best prescription. While immediately following the storm a salvage harvest of all the damaged trees may seem the only recourse, it is important to remember that many trees are likely to make a strong recovery; a harvest may be premature and, possibly, more damaging.

Most important, however, is to take special care when assessing damage and to hire a professional if you plan to prune or remove any trees. Broken tree tops and dangling limbs can be particularly unstable and hazardous. Trees that have tipped or bent over are now under tension, and are very dangerous to cut. Tangled tops and debris can make salvage or chain saw work hazardous, and should only be undertaken by professionals. Work with loggers and foresters if your plans include salvage or cutting up debris after the storm.  

While the cost and inconvenience of major storms can preoccupy our thoughts, we should not forget some of the benefits they provide. The unusual beauty of ice storms can lift our spirits and the loss of power brings families and neighbors closer together as we huddle around the fire to keep warm. Wildlife benefits unexpectedly from ice storms; broken branches deliver food to ground level and the natural thinning may stimulate increased production of fruit and nuts the following year, snapped tree tops and limbs provide additional habitat for cavity-dwelling critters, and debris left on the ground following a storm is great cover for animals moving along the forest floor.

Due to the land use history of our area and the fact that much of the land was formerly in open fields and agriculture, the forests of the MassACORN landscape today are relatively young. Forests that are more mature or are approaching old growth status have appreciably more dead wood on the forest floor (also known as coarse woody debris) and standing dead trees, which add to the woods' structural complexity. Trees that are standing and dead or dying now will contribute to the coarse woody debris component on the forest floor in the future. This structural complexity and coarse woody debris increases wildlife habitat not only for the creatures we normally see or hear (e.g., woodpeckers, owls, bats, squirrels) but also for a host of insects, fungi, and amphibians that rely on decomposing wood. In short, though human nature may compel you to go “clean up the mess in your woods”, that “mess” is in the eye of the beholder. From an ecological standpoint it may be more of a benefit than a problem. For more information on old growth forest structure and how it could be imitated in your woods, see http://www.masswoods.net/your_woods_and/restoring_old-growth_characteristics.html.

Following the ice storm of 1998, the University of New Hampshire Cooperative Extension created a clearinghouse for information. Visit http://extension.unh.edu/forestry/icestorm.htm for extensive information regarding ice storm damage, recovery, wildlife and tree resistance, and more.