Storm Damaged Timber: Steps to Consider When a Weather-related Event Strikes Your Woodland 

By John P. Stambaugh, ACF

Severe weather has moved through the area that includes your woodlands. Accounts on the news outlets are reporting that there is widespread damage in the area. The following morning, you step outside to survey the storm’s impact to your property.   Did my forest land get hit by this thing and if so, how severe is the damage? Now that the torrent has moved on, roads are clear, and conditions allow, you decide to investigate.

You discover the storm did strike your woodland.

The following are some first steps you can take to start the process of recovery.

1.  Assess the damage

1.  Identify areas that were impacted

1. Observe what type of damage the trees sustained

Several scenarios could occur, depending on the characteristics of the storm. You’ve seen the sobering extent of damage, there must be some course of action to follow that will help improve the situation. You question whether there is remaining value in the timber affected. There are a lot of questions and you are needing answers.Mixed stand damaged by high winds.

Mixed stand damaged by high winds

1. Find assistance and attain the services of a professional forester

This helpful site uses a locator map showing the foresters in your area. The forester will visit your property and assess the situation to start the process of creating a plan.  Woodlands that have been under management will be in better position under the circumstances.  For example, the forest will likely not be heavily infested with non-native invasive plant species that could now spread aggressively with the increased sunlight. These undesirable plants dramatically alter native plant communities, also affecting the desired species reliant on the displaced native plants. Furthermore, your forester will have a comprehensive understanding of your property, plus you may have a management plan in place that includes inventory data that will now greatly assist with decision making.

What’s Next?

The forester has completed the assessment. It’s determined that a salvage harvest is needed. A salvage harvest is an opportunity to capture the remaining timber value while at the same time accomplish management objectives. He now explains a number of important factors that include:

Timing is important

Grade or high-quality timber, especially veneer needs to be harvested before prolonged hot temperatures degrade and drastically reduce its value. Fungi and insects will begin attacking the injured trees. Having a logger on site could be delayed. Loggers usually schedule months out.

Hardwoods do not decay as quickly as pine. Trees that appear ok can have internal damage that causes degrade. Those trees in contact with the ground deteriorate more quickly. When the trunk or main stem has over 1/3 of the bark damaged, it will often die. Trees missing 50% or more of their crown will likely die soon. Uprooted trees with roots still partially intact however, can last longer.

A salvage harvest where a feller bunched was used to harvest a 17ac section hit by an EF 1 tornado (86-110 mph winds).

Objectives

Your forester will explain how this event can be used to meet management objectives as best as possible under the circumstances. It’s common for the damage to vary considerably across your forest. He will consider this dynamic when planning.

It’s vital that the sun’s energy is channeled to desired outcomes. Your long- term goals for timber production, wildlife habitat enhancement, recreation, or other attributes can be met. It’s important to keep in mind that this event offers an opportunity to achieve objectives. Proceeds from a salvage harvest can be used to perform additional improvements.

What can be salvaged

Storm type, intensity, and time of year primarily determine the severity of the damage, thus affecting how much wood is salvageable. You recall that the storm’s wind speeds were reported to be in excess of 70 mph.  55-63 mph can cause damage. 64-73 mph winds will cause significant damage, and those 75 mph and above cause severe damage and more uprooting.  Tornados typically cause more localized damage, often making swaths through a woodland, while leaving adjacent areas mostly unscathed.

Sometimes the damage is so severe that firewood or fiber may be the only salvage option. In this case, your forester may recommend you hire an operator to use machinery to help restore the site to meet management goals.  Leaving a severely damaged woodland as is will undoubtably provide wildlife habitat, but the long-term prospects for the area can be grim i.e. build up of wood damaging insects, fire hazard, creation of a non- native invasive plant sanctuary that will continuously spread into your remaining property and possibly onto your neighbors, and possibly an area that has impenetrable access.

A damaged younger stand of smaller diameter trees will have limited salvageability. The scale of your affected area could be small by industry standards. A logger often cannot justify moving in on smaller jobs. Your forester may suggest expanding your harvest to include areas not impacted, or coordinate with an adjoining landowner to increase the scale of the operation.

Tornadoes and down bursts often impact a woodland differently than derechos or straight-line winds. Saturated soils at the time of impact can allow trees to blow over and uproot instead of breaking. The nature of the crown damage and the tree’s orientation on the ground are clues to the type of storm. Tornados, with their rotational and high-speed winds, often result in a chaotic, uprooted tree fall, with trees crossing each other, whereas straight-line winds tend to cause a more uniform and directional tree fall. Tornadoes tend to lead to more stem breakage.

Trees fully leafed out are subject to more damage. The true amount of damage to a tree is deceptive.  Cracks and internal injury often are not visible until cut into logs or sawn at the mill.

Damaging winds are the primary weather-related event that injure trees, other events such as ice storms, drought, and flooding can cause significant harm. Your forester is able to give you guidance on managing these incidents as well.

Harvest plan

The forester will be planning and administering a range of tasks that include:

• Having you contract with a logger to perform the harvest. Note that loggers and those engaged in purchasing standing timber in Indiana must be licensed and bonded through the IN DNR Division of Forestry.
• The forester will negotiate then put in the contract the terms of how the logger and landowner divide the proceeds of the harvest.
• The harvest method will be arranged by the forester. The stand’s condition will determine if conventional hand cutting can be used. This is often considerably more dangerous and time consuming in these situations. Maybe a feller-buncher/tree harvester machine is the best approach. Most loggers do not own these large and very expensive machines. They can weigh in excess of 80,000 lbs., are expensive to move, also require roads that can accommodate transport. Their near-term availability following a large storm event could be limited. However, their presence is growing in Indiana, as more loggers see their utility. These machines allow more of the wood to be removed and utilized in a safer, more efficient manner. The more downed wood that is removed, the better the conditions will be to achieve overall objectives.
• If a harvest machine is used, a large quantity of wood will be coming out of the harvest area quickly. A loading area that is large enough and adequately configured is important.
• The forester will consider challenges the terrain poses. Proximity to markets, distance and routes from harvest zones to the loading area, Will address stream crossings and other land features that require special consideration. Identify property lines and harvest boundaries. Sometimes the blown over trees bury and obscure the boundary lines.  The forester will establish how harvest trees are chosen and identified.

In conclusion, some vital steps have been presented here to help you with the process of dealing with nature’s fury. Consult with your forester early on, thus allowing you to have peace of mind your forest land to have the best chance for a successful recovery.

When wind speeds reach 55-63 miles an hour, they are considered strong enough to cause significant damage to smaller trees and large trees. Winds above 64 mph have the ability to cause significant damage to large trees. Here are some resources you can turn to in order to get more information:  

• A publication from Iowa State University “Managing Storm Damaged Woodlands” 
• The Wisconsin DNR division of Forestry “Salvaging Storm Damage Forest Products” 
• Purdue University article “Trees and Storms Mitigating the Damage” 

John P. Stambaugh is a consulting forester with over 35 years of professional experience in Indiana. John represents the Association of Consulting Foresters on the Woodland Steward Board.