After the Ice: Urban forestry’s role in community recovery and resilience

By Lee Mueller, Davey Resource Group, Inc.
Kevin Sayers, Michigan Department of Natural Resources
and Paul Hickman, Urban Ashes

Many people who live in northern Michigan are still cleaning up and dealing with the effects of a major ice storm that hit at the end of March, leaving large swaths of downed limbs and broken trees in its path.

Ice storms are a recurring challenge in the Midwest. Freezing rain can add substantial weight to limbs, causing even healthy trees to snap. And Michigan is currently in thunderstorm and tornado season, which can also wreak havoc in forests and across urban landscapes.

While utility and public works crews have worked quickly to restore power and clear roads, the damage to community trees will take longer to fully assess and manage. Ultimately, events like this also can offer opportunities to reassess our approach to tree management and build stronger, resilient urban forests.

1. Safety first: Addressing immediate priorities

Immediately after a storm, public safety is the chief priority. Managers should first drive and assess the major thoroughfares, emergency routes, and other critical infrastructure areas to ascertain immediate cleanup priorities required to quickly restore utility services and emergency access.

Once priorities are established, crews and contractors can be assigned and managers can coordinate with utilities and emergency services to clear blocked roads, secure downed utility lines and address emergencies. Cleanup support from first responders and municipal crews is important, but any work near power lines must be handled by trained professionals.

At this stage, it is also important not to overreact and remove trees that look damaged but could recover. Many trees can survive with proper pruning and time. The goal in immediate aftermath should be to make areas safe and functional. Long-term decisions about many trees can wait.

2. Debris management and marshalling yards

Managing debris is a key part of recovery. Communities that plan ahead to identify marshalling yards -- temporary sites for collecting and sorting woody debris -- are better positioned to handle the volume. These sites should be accessible, large, and located away from sensitive areas and neighborhoods.

Whenever possible, communities should pre-identify local wood processors, mobile mills, regional log yards, compost sites, biochar producers, or biomass users to find processors capable of putting wood debris to its highest and best use. Some communities may make firewood or chipped wood available to residents. A storm response plan that includes a debris management strategy can help keep recovery moving and reduce both costs and environmental impact.

3. Inventory and documentation

Once the emergency phase has passed, communities should further assess the long-term damage to public trees. While a complete tree inventory is the best practice, rapid assessments or “windshield surveys” may be sufficient in some cases. The key is to identify lingering risks such as  hanging limbs, cracked trunks, or weakened trees that require further mitigation.

However this assessment is tackled, the result should be a prioritized list of trees needing further maintenance, monitoring or removal. This list can also be helpful when seeking outside funding or coordinating contracted work.

4. Ongoing and corrective maintenance

Severe storm damage can often cause tree issues and maintenance concerns that may present over a number of years. Following a major weather event, communities need to be diligent in monitoring trees and continuing to tackle maintenance issues as they become apparent. Trees may need additional pruning or care to address damaged limbs, re-balance crowns and restore tree structure. Likewise, pest and disease issues (such as oak wilt) may become more prevalent after trees are damaged. Consult with local professionals and resources like state officials or university extension staff for support and guidance.

5. Community education and engagement

After a storm, residents often want to help or may be unsure how to deal with damaged trees on their properties. Communities should provide simple, helpful guidance: what damage requires a professional, which trees might recover, where to find professional help, how to support tree health during and after recovery and where to take or deliver woody debris for reuse, composting, or disposal.

It’s often helpful to provide regular updates on the official response to storm cleanup. This helps assure the public that a targeted response is underway and progress is being made. Sharing clear information through town websites, social media, and local news outlets goes a long way. Short videos, FAQs or handouts can give residents the tools to safely assist with storm recovery.

6. Assessing species and structural vulnerabilities

Not all trees handle ice the same. Silver maple, Callery pear, and many conifers are prone to storm damage due to weaker wood, poor structure, or simply more surface area for ice accumulation. This storm offers a chance to evaluate what failed and why and to adjust future planting plans accordingly.

Species diversity is key to a resilient urban forest. Aim for a variety of species at the block and neighborhood level. Structural pruning of young trees and selective removal of poor-quality trees can also make a big difference in reducing future damage.

7. Funding and support

Storm recovery isn’t cheap. Initially, operations may need to be prioritized, delaying items like tree planting or pest and disease treatments, in favor of addressing removal and pruning concerns. Opportunities may exist through state and federal agencies to support cleanup and recovery efforts. Urban forestry grants can often support tree assessments, risk mitigation, debris management, replanting or urban wood reclamation and reuse programs.

In particular, the Federal Emergency Management Agency has strict documentation and eligibility requirements for federal disasters. Many municipalities are not always familiar with the process. Reach out early to government agencies or contractors who understand the system and can help explain timelines, data and documentation requirements.

8. Replanting with resilience in mind

Tree loss has immediate and long-term effects on aesthetics, stormwater control and air quality. It affects community character and quality of life. Replanting should prioritize species known for strong structure and resilient to storm damage. These are trees with flexible limbs and strong branch attachments. Native species should be used where appropriate, as they are often better adapted to local conditions and support regional ecosystems. The right tree in the right place makes all the difference.

9. Planning for the future

Every storm is a reminder that severe weather events are becoming more frequent. Communities should include storm preparedness in their management plans. Choose storm-resistant species, develop emergency protocols and educate residents before the next storm.

An emergency storm response and management plan can establish a framework to develop clear response strategies and processes that position a community better to respond when damage occurs. It should outline key responsibilities and contacts, safety standards, pre-event preparedness and mitigation steps. It should identify risk zones and formalize shared response (mutual aid) triggers, strategies to manage and reuse woody debris and outline recovery steps.

Ultimately by investing in proactive planning, routine tree maintenance and implementing sustainable forestry program strategies, communities can limit future damage, improve safety and continue to benefit from healthy urban trees.