Thursday, April 11, 2019

Storm Damaged Tree



STORM DAMAGE TREE MANAGEMENT

Photo Courtesy of George Hoden 

Storm damaged trees left standing after general storm clearance activities have been completed can become hazardous. Trees that could quickly develop into hazards need to be evaluated and treated or removed. Good storm damage management is much more cost-effective over the long run than cleaning up fallen materials now and reacting to tree problems in the future. Evaluations should be performed by a certified arborist before or at the time of initial storm damage service. The goal is to minimize risk and protect assets, including the tree itself. Always remember to take proper safety precautions when dealing with and fixing storm damaged trees.

Initially, the homeowner can review storm damage according to the following three categories:


Photo Courtesy of the National Park Service
         Category I Damage

  • Dead tree
  • Snapped or twisted stem breaks
  • Roots Broken-tree can be pushed over
  • Leaning or bent pine
  • Pine Lighting strike
  • Branch damage leaving lopsided crown
  • Hardwood with >50% crown loss
  • Pine with >30% live crown damage or loss
  • Large stress crack or twists in main stem

         Treatment: Damage is not treatable and
         the tree should be removed.

Courtesy of The National Park Service

 Category II Damage
  • Hardwood top broken <50% live crown loss
  • Hardwood branches with <50% loss
  • Pine <30% of branches loss or damage

Treatment: Prune the damage (drop the crotch if needed). 
Water the tree as needed and watch for insect damage. 
A soil test is recommended ad fertilize the tree the following year according to the results.





         




          Category III Damage
  • Hardwood lighting strike
  • Twigs and small branches blown off
  • Foliage destroyed or stripped
  • Mechanical damage to main stem <30% of circumference effected
          
          Treatment:Minimize stress on the tree by watering as needed. 
          Have a soil test done and fertilize based on results the following year.
          Watch for insect damage while the tree is healing.




Reference: https://static.colostate.edu/client-files/csfs/pdfs/Storm_Damage_Quick_Guide.pdf

Additional Resource Links:

Ask a Certified Arborist: The Georgia Forestry Commission’s on-line service — “Ask the Arborist”. Complete a form and a certified arborist will answer questions and evaluate conditions.

Is My Tree Dying? Is a helpful general publication by the UGA Cooperative Extension Office which discusses signs of a tree in danger. https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/pdf/C%201100_3.PDF

Certified Arborist List by The Georgia Forestry Commissions:

Managing Storm Damaged Trees Do’s and Dont’s: