Northeast Ice Storm 1998:
Injury, Damage, and Recovery
Kevin T. Smith
USDA Forest Service
Northern Research Station
Durham, NH 03824
ktsmith@fs.fed.us
Take-Home Messages
Ice storm injury is “patchy”
Effects are species-specific
Injury does not equal damage
Tree condition prior to the storm
greatly contributes to mortality and
decay
1886 Market Square, Portsmouth, NH
“Tag and Track” study
Species:
Crown
A:
B:
C:
Red and Sugar Maple
Yellow and Paper Birch
White Ash
loss classes:
Less than one-half
One-half to three-quarters
More than three-quarters
“Tag and Track” study
Measure: Survival
Radial growth response
Discoloration and decay
Wound closure
Test for wound closure
October 1998
Single 3/8” x 2” bore hole
October 2001
Assess holes for closure
and dieback.
Tree survival in 2002 (%)
Injury Class
_____________________________________
Sugar maple
Red maple
Yellow birch
Paper birch
White ash
A
100
100
100
--100
_____________
B
100
100
95
74
100
_____________
C
100
100
94
38
100
____________
Radial Growth Index
Collected in autumn, 2000
1995-1997
1998-2000
1997/1998
Radial grow th index
1.2
1.0
0.8
0.6
0.4
0.2
Injury class A
Injury class B
Injury class C
0.0
SM
YB
WA
RM
Bore hole closed
Bore hole open
Bore hole with
mushrooms!
Cambial dieback in 2002 (%)
Injury Class
_______________________________
Sugar maple
Red maple
Yellow birch
Paper birch
White ash
A
29
33
32
--0
_____________
B
50
69
45
100
0
_____________
C
62
75
76
100
0
____________
Drill wound closure in 2002 (%)
Injury Class
________________________________
Sugar maple
Red maple
Yellow birch
Paper birch
White ash
A
43
42
45
--94
_____________
B
32
19
37
0
100
_____________
C
17
8
7
0
92
____________
SM
WA
YB
YB, SM
Take-Home Messages
Ice storm injury is “patchy”
Effects are species-specific
Injury does not equal damage
Tree condition prior to the storm
greatly contributes to mortality and
decay