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Dear All, Dec 25, 2010
I took a walk yesterday in the North Alton woodlot, around the main road
loop, to check on storm damage from the high winds 2 weeks (?) ago.
Excluding the Spruce & Fir that died shortly after 2000 from repeated
drought stress, rotted and fell over, there were more windfalls from the
recent wind than there were in total over the previous 30 years; enough to
keep me in Poplar firewood for the rest of my life provided they don't rot
before I get to them and provided I have the patience & time to deal with
hung trees.
The species selectivity of the wind damage, although somewhat
qualitative being based on general impressions, is quite interesting I
think. Poplar (P. tremuloides & grandidentata) was most affected [50-100
large trees uprooted], numerous mostly weak Balsam Fir were broken off or
uprooted, Red Spruce (especially large trees that would have extended well
above the average canopy) were somewhat [15-30 broken off or uprooted],
White Pine (one shallow-rooted tree about 2' at the stump uprooted) of
relatively few Pines, Hemlock hardly at all (one tree uprooted of many),
White Ash only where a crotch caused weakness in two trees, and the Birches
and Maples were damaged only when something fell on them [excepting one
White Birch where the tree just flopped over, the soil being too wet to hold
the roots].
Returning to Poplar, those patches that have been thinned by selective
cutting of softwood in 2002 or by selective cutting of Poplar over 30 years
were not as vulnerable to windthrow as were patches in which nothing has
been cut; presumably the more extensive root systems of uncrowded trees
provides better anchorage.
Merry Christmas, Dave Webster, Kentville
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