Good Forestry in the Granite State: Recommended Voluntary Forest Management Practices for New Hampshire
Good Forestry in the Granite State:
Recommended Voluntary Forest Management Practices for New Hampshire
Table of Contents >> 5.2 Invasive Plants << 5.3 Ice and Wind Damage >> 5.4 Logging Damage

5.3 ICE AND WIND DAMAGE

BACKGROUND

Tornadoes, hurricanes, ice storms, and floods can damage the forest.

Although hurricane-size storms rarely strike New England, expect damaging wind storms every 15 to 30 years. Species and forest types vary greatly in resistance to wind damage. White pine is most susceptible—as much as 80 percent of the volume was damaged in the 1938 hurricane. Hemlock trees also were damaged. Spruce-fir (especially the fir) is next in susceptibility to losses from wind. Northern hardwoods are least damaged; the 1938 hurricane produced losses of about 10 to 20 percent, even in heavily damaged stands. Factors other than forest type also affect vulnerability to wind. They include:

OBJECTIVE

Prepare forests to withstand ice and wind damage and when damage occurs, make informed forest management decisions.

CONSIDERATIONS

RECOMMENDED PRACTICES

Wind Damage

Ice Damage

CROSS REFERENCES

2.1 New Hampshire Forest Types; 2.2 Forest Structure; 2.3 Regeneration Methods; 6.2 Cavity Trees, Dens and Snags; 6.3 Dead and Down Woody Material.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Hauer, R.J., M.C. Hruska, and J.O. Dawson. 1994. Trees and ice storms: The development of ice storm—resistant urban tree populations. Special Publication 94-1. Dept. of Forestry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Ill. http://web.aces.uiuc.edu/vista/pdf_pubs/ICESTORM.PDF Accessed March 9, 2010.

Shortle, W.C., K.T. Smith, and K.R.Dudzik. 2003. Tree Survival and Growth Following Ice Storm Injury. USDA For. Serv. Res. Pap. NE-723. http://www.fs.fed.us/ne/newtown_square/publications/research_papers/pdfs/2003/rpne723.pdf Accessed March 9, 2010.

Shortle, W.C., and K.T. Smith. 1998. Tree Biology and Ice Storm '98. UNH Cooperative Extension, Durham, N.H.http://extension.unh.edu/resources/files/Resource000987_Rep1127.pdf Accessed June 7, 2010.