Ice Storm 98
On January 15, 1998, the state received a Disaster Declaration
by President Clinton as a result of the storm from January 7-16. Assistance was
made available to help New Hampshire communities (with exception of Rockingham
County) recover from the damage through two rounds of community grants. A
listing of the communities, project focus and total project value is available.
The severe ice storm of January 1998 caused damage to many residential
and forest trees in New Hampshire. A map
of the ice damage in the state was created using aerial survey data
collected by the State of New Hampshire, Division of Forests and Lands and USDA
Forest Service.
Although storms of this extent are uncommon, trees are
often exposed to severe weather conditions and are remarkably resilient. Trees
that have not suffered major structural damage, such as split trunks or broken
tops, will likely recover with time. Every tree and woodlot is different so it
is important to assess the damage before making long term decisions. Even 3
years later assessments continue on private and community properties. The Ice Storm 98 Revisited takes a look
at what affect the ice storm had.
The Forestry Information Center has a
large selection of fact sheets that can be ordered directly. Please include
your e-mail and postal addresses and day time telephone number with all
inquiries.
Some Simple-to-Read Fact Sheets were prepared for this ice
storm:
A First Look at Tree Decay- a four page colored brochure showing decay and its origins.
Ice Resistant Trees
Information
Sheet #1: How to Determine Percent Live Crown Loss In Hardwoods Before
Leaf-Out
Helps assess the impact of ice damage to hardwood trees.
Information
Sheet #2: Will Winter Storm Injury Affect Hardwood Quality and Maple Sap
Production
Ice glazing, snowstorms, and high winds cause dramatic
changes in the appearance of forests and sugarbushes. Fortunately,
there is often no need to change forest management plans.
Information
Sheet #4: Silvicultural Approaches for Managing Ice-Damaged Stands
Silviculture is the art and science of growing forests- agriculture
for trees. It is a complicated business. Time-honored silvicultural methods
still apply in ice damage forests.
Information
Sheet #5: Lucky Break for Wildlife
Although the cold reality of the ice
storm meant that some animals did not live through it (primarily
because of lack of food), the ice storm may have helped some wildlife.
Information
Sheet #6: Using NED/Stand Inventory, Processor, and Simulator to Cruise
Ice-Damaged Stands
The NED/SIPS program is a computer inventory,
processor, and simulator that is available from the US Forest
Service and can be used to quickly compute the volume and value of damage.
Information
Sheet #8: Helping Trees Recover from Ice Storms
This explains some
things that can be done soon after the storm to help damaged
trees to recover.
Information
Sheet # 9: Harvesting Ice-Damaged Timber
This encourages woodlot owners
to adopt a "wait-and-see"attitude.
Planting
trees in Designed and Built Community Landscapes - a handy guide to
properly selecting, planting and pruning trees.
Trees and Ice
Storms - The Development of Ice Storm Resistant Urban Tree Populations -
A colored booklet describing why some trees break and some don't, along with
the selection and species of trees best suited for certain areas.
Timber Tax Questions Frequently Asked About Timber Salvage
Cutting Operations
The
SIP at a Glance for Ice Storm 98 Fact Sheet
Wildlife Weather the Storm
Tree Biology and Ice Storm
98
The 1998 Ice Storm
& Casualty Loss Deductions
Some Advice for Operators of Sugarbushes
Damaged by the January 1998 Ice Storm
Ice Storms Assistance for Farmers
Listing Of UNH Cooperative Extension Educators In Forest
Resources
The University of New Hampshire Cooperative Extension has
a professional forester in each of the ten counties. Our mission
is to provide citizens with research-based education and information,
enhancing their ability to make informed decisions that strengthen youth
and families, sustain natural resources, and improve the economy. We have
been "Caring For New Hampshire's
Forests Since 1925". If additional information is needed, contact one of
our foresters using the provided list.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency -
is a good site to search in the event of another disaster.
UNH Cooperative
Extension Forestry Information Center Funds for this project
have been provided by the USDA Forest Service and NH Department of Resources
and Economic Development, Division of Forests and Lands, in response to the
January 1998 ice storm.
