Ice Storm '08
Not knowing whether to send snow or rain, Mother Nature has covered much of the state in a glaze of ice that reminds us of the ice storm of 1998. We learned many lessons from that storm, the most important- trees and forests recover from damage, so don’t panic, be safe and seek professional help.
The best advice is a word of caution: Removing large trees or limbs is dangerous. Don’t climb a ladder with a chain saw. Don’t climb into a damaged tree. Never touch any tree near electrical wires. Assess your particular tree situation carefully and watch for safety hazards. Most tree work needs to be done by professional arborists, especially when the work requires climbing or the tree is leaning against another tree or structure.
Stay safe! Seek professional advice before undertaking the job, and use common sense as you work. A few tips:
- Don't try to clean up storm-damaged trees during during high wind conditions.
- Stay away from downed or sagging power lines until utility crews have arrived and repaired them.
- Don't work alone.
- Wear a hard hat and other recommended safety gear.
- Watch for hanging limbs and leaning trees.
- Remember that trees and branches may be unstable and pose considerable risk.
- Contact your insurance company for instructions, and take pictures to document damage for potential claims.
Assess immediate hazards first: Remove dead trees; trees or branches that are leaning; trees with broken or cracked stems; trees with extensive broken roots; and any large, dead, or broken limbs that are still attached to the tree.
Hire an arborist: For homeowners, hire a qualified arborist to get the work done properly and safely. Trained arborists are aware of proper pruning and removal procedures and can reduce the chance of further damage to the tree. Check to see if they are certified and ask for certificates of insurance, including proof of liability for personal and property damage and worker’s compensation. Also, request local references and get more than one estimate.
Prevent additional damage: Later, you may want to prune the damaged trees to improve appearance and reduce additional hazards. If the top has been broken, the tree should be pruned back to a strong lateral branch. Damaged branches should be pruned back to the branch collar.
Don’t forget to look at your trees in the spring and summer: Some damage may not be immediately apparent. Hidden cracks may cause branches to droop when leaves come out in the spring. Stem decay, as well as cracks, may lead to structural loss, causing the tree or large branches to become hazardous. Root damage may not be evident until twigs or branches in the upper crown begin dying after two or three growing seasons.
Hire a forester: If you own large acreage, contact your County Extension Forester or a licensed forester to assess the damage, then salvage the trees if needed. Over time, damaged trees may develop decay and discoloration. As long as it is safe, there is no need to rush. You have more than a year to act before you lose wood to discoloration and decay.
For additional information and assistance: Call your local UNH Cooperative Extension County Forester
Information about damage to individual trees
- Hiring an Arborist
- Tree Work Contract
- NH Arborists Association Certified Arborists
- Pruning Storm Damaged Trees
- Large Tree Care and Pruning
- Safe Timber Harvesting
- Casualty Loss to Shade Trees (related to federal income tax)
- Ice Resistant Trees
Information about woodlot damage
- Assessing the damage to trees - will your trees survive?
- Assessing the damage to your woodlot - note: These instructions are written for a federal assistance program which isn't available, but the procedure described is useful.
- Directory of Licensed Foresters
- Selecting a Forester
- Selecting a Logger
- Timber Sale Contract describes key elements of a contract and includes sample clauses and explanations of their meanings. This version contains sample contract language only.
- Forest Laws
- Timber Sale Guidelines
- Income Tax Deduction for Timber Casualty Loss (related to federal income tax)
Revisit the lessons learned from ice storm 1998.
Tree Response Following the 1998 Ice Storm- research from USDA Forest Service, 2008
Calls about power outages should be made to utility companies and emergency calls for police, fire or medical assistance should be made to 911.
