MassWoods

Wind and ice storms are a natural part of our dynamic forested landscape in Massachusetts. The damage to your woods may appear to be more substantial than it actually is. You are encouraged not to rush into taking action to salvage what may appear to be a severely damaged woodlot. Trees can lose parts of crowns and still survive. That's not to say that there will be no impact to your woods. Damage to trees can result in tree mortality, changed growth rates, possible infestation of decay organisms or insect pests, and impact the aesthetic quality of individual trees and forested landscapes. There is also a potential economic impact to you as a landowner.

Although these storms may significantly change your woods, your woods are not "ruined". Despite the potential economic impacts, there are ecological benefits. While initially looking "messy", ice storms help create the "old-growth like" habitat characteristics often lacking in most forests (e.g., cavity trees, downed dead logs, diverse tree ages and sizes). If you as a landowner are interested in wildlife, consider not salvaging all or some of your woods. For more information, Restoring Old-Growth Characteristics.

Don't feel rushed into making a decision about your woods! You have time to make an informed decision. A matter of weeks and even months is likely to make little or no difference to the future of your woods. In many cases you will have the upcoming growing season to determine if a salvage is justified and if so what trees should be salvaged.

Consider all your options and finding a management strategy (active or passive) that's right for you. Contacting your state service forester or a private forester working in your town is an excellent step towards learning your options and making an informed decision. Find a service forester or private forester in working your town. Such a professional can recommend a course of action for individual sites to meet landowner objectives and concerns. If a salvage cutting is appropriate, landowners should follow recommendations normally given in harvesting situations. For more information, visit Harvesting Timber.

Many landowners are concerned about the danger of forest fires due to the increased amount of dead wood in our forests.  Fires typically do not play a significant role in our forests.  Where safety and aesthetics allow, consider leaving the dead trees and downed limbs in your woods for the habitat benefit they provide.  For more information see Restoring Old-Growth Characteristics.  Getting downed trees and limbs close to the ground will help them decompose faster.  Prioritize clearing dead wood away from your house and other structures.  Contact your local fire department about burning brush.

Related Resource

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.

Ice Storm Article from UMass Extension's ACORN website

Tree Survival and Growth Following Ice Storm Injury (PDF)

Income Tax Deduction from Timber Loss (PDF)

Maple Syrup Producers - Information for Maple Syrup Producers from the 1998 NH ice storm.