Help your trees recover from yet another March storm in northern Michigan

March madness has taken on a different meaning in parts of northern Michigan over the past two years. Strong winter storms hit the landscape and communities in March 2025 and again this week, coating (or burying) trees and forests in heavy layers of ice and snow. Many parts of northern Michigan still haven’t fully recovered and cleaned up from last year’s ice storm.

Trees and forests, as lovely and resilient as they are, remain vulnerable to these harsh, late-winter winds and weather. The latest episode of March madness has left trees with a familiar but dangerous aftermath: bowed branches, split trunks and debris tangled with power lines.

As residents begin cleanup after this week’s snow and ice event, Kevin Sayers, program manager of the Michigan Department of Natural Resources’ Urban and Community Forestry staff, offers a clear and important message:

“Be safe, be aware and don’t rush in with a chainsaw."

Start with safety, not cleanup

First, look around and assess the site and situation before you do anything. This is a critically important step for safety. The most urgent risk may not be the tree, but what you can’t see. Ice- or snow-laden branches may still be under tension, and downed limbs can hide energized electrical wires. If a tree or branch is, or even might be, touching a power line, stay far away and contact your local utility company. Even seemingly “dead” lines can be live. Likewise, never approach debris piles or trees that are entangled with wires.

If your trees are snow- or ice-covered, don't try to knock it off. You could harm the tree.

Evaluate the situation

When considering what needs to be done with damaged trees, DNR guidance emphasizes a simple rule: if you have to ask whether it’s manageable or safe, it probably isn’t. It’s best to leave whole trees, large limbs, hanging branches (known to loggers as “widowmakers”) and leaning or partially uprooted trees to qualified experts.

Property owners who need help finding a professional tree care provider should search for a certified arborist or certified professional tree care company for help. These experts are equipped and qualified to assess trees and can determine what can be saved or safely removed. Before hiring anyone to work on your property, always ask for proof of insurance, workers’ compensation coverage and references.

Don’t shake the tree or branches

It’s tempting to try to “help” trees by knocking off ice or snow, but this often causes more breakage. Trees adapted to Michigan winters can usually shed loads gradually and return to near-normal form, especially as warmer temperatures come back and help melt ice and snow. Intervening — especially with tools — can snap branches that might otherwise recover on their own.

Prune only when certain

In the days and weeks ahead, shift your focus to working to correct damage to smaller, reachable parts of your tree with careful pruning. This can help the tree recover. Focus on:

• Cleanly removing broken branches back to a proper junction where the branch meets the trunk or originates in a larger branch.
• Avoiding flush cuts (cutting too close to the tree) or leaving stubs of branches on the trunk.
• Using sharp, sanitized tools.

Be careful not to overdo it, though. Over-pruning after a stress event can weaken a tree even further heading into spring.

Watch for delayed damage

Not all tree damage is immediately obvious. Cracks in trunks or major limbs may worsen over weeks. Evergreens, in particular, may bend or show browning later due to drying out and structural stress from breaks due to snow and ice loads. Keep an eye on:

• Leaning trees (especially new or increased lean).
• Soil heaving around roots.
• Large vertical cracks in trunks or lateral cracks in limbs.
• Branch dieback, when twigs or branches drop foliage or fail to bud.

These are signs a tree may be structurally compromised and needs further inspection by a professional.

What to do with debris

Dealing with a yard full of tree damage and debris can be overwhelming. While the majority of wood debris will likely need to be chipped, cut into firewood or otherwise disposed of, in some cases usable logs of value may be salvaged. If you hire a professional tree care company, make sure your contract clearly explains how wood and debris disposal will be handled and whose responsibility it is. 

After last year’s winter storm, many communities and counties provided guidance to property owners on how and where woody storm debris could be dropped off. It’s best to seek similar guidance from your local municipal officials in this situation.

Think long-term: replanting, maintenance and resilience

Storms like this highlight the importance of tree diversity and proper maintenance. The DNR recently published the Michigan Community Tree Species Selection guide to help with choosing the right tree for your location and needs.

It’s equally important to stay proactive by checking trees throughout the year and pruning when it is safe to do so. Regular pruning to improve branch structure, avoiding weak crotches where tree trunks or large branches meet, and selecting species suited to Michigan’s ice and snow loads can reduce future damage.

Michigan’s trees and forests are resilient, but recovery starts with patience and caution. The goal isn’t just clearing debris — it’s preserving the trees that can recover and safely removing those that can’t. With patience and planning, trees and forests will bounce back to provide beauty and benefits for years to come.

Accompanying photos are available below for download. Caption information follows.

Snowy tree: Don't knock snow and ice off of the branches of trees, even if they are bowing down. This could cause tree branches to break.

Proper pruning: After the storm has passed, look for dead or damaged branches and prune the tree carefully, keeping cuts from going into the tree trunk or leaving stubs.