Restoring trees following a hurricane

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Urban Forest Hurricane Recovery Program
http//treesandhurricanes.ifas.ufl.edu
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Restoring trees after a hurricane

• Edward F. Gilman and Traci Jo Partin.

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Know when to restore

• Assess damage first before deciding to restore.
• To learn about which trees can be restored and
  which should be removed, refer to our website
• http//treesandhurricanes.ifas.ufl.edu

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How long does restoration take?

• A tree requires 2-5 years or more to
  restore depending on various factors

• Size of tree- smaller trees take less time to
  recover
• Age - mature trees will require more time and
  maintenance

• Species - decay resistant trees
• will recover better
• Amount of damage - more damage done
  more time and visits

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Restoration pruning

• After the hurricane Develop a response plan
• A few years later
• Implement a multi-year restoration pruning
  program

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Response Plan

• Immediately following storm
• Step 1 Remove hazards
• Step 2 Stake fallen trees
• where possible
• Step 3 Clean canopies of damaged trees
• Before the next visit
• Allow trees to regenerate energy reserves
• Develop a tree management program in the community

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Immediately following storm Step 1

• Remove all hazards
• Fallen tree or branch near power lines
• Broken, cracked, and hanging limbs
  located near property
• - Large, fallen trees blocking traffic areas

DANGEROUS! Only experienced workers
should handle these situations!
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Immediately following storm Step 2

• Stake fallen/leaning trees when possible
• Small trees (approximately 4 inches trunk
  diameter or less)
• OR
• Recently planted

Do not let the roots dry out! Water and cover
with tarp until tree can be re-planted.
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How to Stand a Tree Up
1. Keep roots moist. 2. Excavate the hole to
accommodate roots. 3. Cut jagged or torn roots
with sharp tools, making clean cuts. 4.
Pull tree up and backfill with site soil.
Take measures to protect the trunk. Do not plant
deep.
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How to Stand a Tree Up

1. Water as if the tree were recently planted.
   Irrigate 3x a week with 3 gallons/inch
   trunk diameter. There is no need to
   fertilize at this time.

6. Stake the tree. Adjust stakes and
remove when tree is stable.
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Immediately following storm Step 3

• Clean canopies of damaged trees
• Remove broken, hanging stems first so that
  branches do not fall and cause injury.

lateral
lateral
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Canopy Cleaning

• Make clean cuts on stubs, breaks, and tears.
• Reduce back to lateral branch if one is present.

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Heading cuts are used when no laterals are nearby
Heading cut
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Example of tree after canopy cleaning
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Do not top your trees!

• Topping severely reduces the entire canopy of a
  tree, cutting large limbs back to stubs.
• This practice is very harmful to the health of
  the tree.

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Canopy cleaning on palms

• Remove broken, hanging, or dead fronds that could
  fall and hit a target
• Leave bent green fronds attached to palm until
  new fronds emerge fully
• Leave fronds that are yellowing or have brown
  tips. Establish fertilization program to correct
  nutrient deficiencies

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Palm cleaning
Leave live fronds Remove dead fronds
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Leave green, bent fronds
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Remove broken fronds that are smothering the bud
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Remove dead and hanging fronds Leave yellowing fronds attached Overpruning leads to stress and decline
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Response Plan

• Immediately following storm
• Step 1 Remove potential
• hazards
• Step 2 Stake fallen trees
• where possible
• Step 3 Clean canopies of damaged trees
• Before the next visit
• Allow trees to regenerate energy reserves
• Develop a tree management program in the community

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Allow time for sprouting so that trees can
regenerate energy reserves.
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How long?
?

• Deciduous and broadleaf evergreen trees
• Trees should begin sprouting by spring of the
  year following the hurricane (April for hardiness
  zones 9-11).
• Wait until sprout growth slows before next
  pruning visit.

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Pines

• Pines do not sprout. When all of the needles are
  brown, the tree will not recover.
• Remove

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Palms

• Allow at least 6 months after the storm for palms
  to put out new growth.
• Approximately 1 to 2 years before palms appear
  normal with a full canopy.

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Develop a tree management program

• Work with homeowners and community planners to
  create a tree management program that allows
  routine arborist visits.
• Regular pruning will build strong tree structure
  and minimize failure in future storms.

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Restoration outline

• After the hurricane Develop a response plan
• A few years later
• Implement a multi-year restoration pruning
  program

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Factors that affect restoration

• Size of treeLarge maturing shade tree vs. small,
  ornamental tree.
• AgeEstimate by comparing the trunk diameter to
  the size the species reaches at full maturity.
• SpeciesIs the species prone to decay? Have poor
  growth habit?
• Amount of damageWhat percentage of the canopy is
  damaged?

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Pruning program large maturing trees
Time needed to restore Young (under 10 dbh) Medium-aged (10-20 dbh) Mature (over 20 dbh)
Time needed to restore 2 4 yrs. about three visits 3 5 yrs. three to five visits 5 yrs. five or more visits
dbh diameter at breast height These
measurements are approximations to help
determine age, but vary with species and growth
rate.
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Pruning program small, ornamental trees
Time needed to restore Young (under 5 dbh) Medium-aged (5-10 dbh) Mature (over 10 dbh)
Time needed to restore 2 3 yrs. about two visits 3 4 yrs. about three visits 4 yrs. four or more visits
dbh diameter at breast height These
measurements are approximations to help
determine age, but vary with species and growth
rate.
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Species trees that resist decay make better
candidates for restoration 
Trees that resist decay Trees prone to decay  
Live oak Mahogany Gumbo-limbo  Tamarind Laurel oak Royal poinciana Ficus Orchid tree  
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Good compartmentalizer
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Poor compartmentalizer
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Species trees with good structure will
require less pruning attention 
Trees with good structure Trees with poor structure  
Baldcypress Sweetgum Southern magnolia Live oak Mahogany Red maple Pecan Laurel oak 
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Weak vs. Strong
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Amount of damage

• 50 canopy damage
• ? Come back after two years

30 canopy damage ? Come back after one
year
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Amount of damage

• More than 50 canopy loss Monitor carefully over
  two year period and decide whether tree is
  recovering or declining.

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Restoration pruning program

• First visit (1 - 2 years after storm or
  later)Sprout managementreduce some, remove
  some, leave some
• Second, third visits (space visits 1 year
  apart)Establish a new leader at the ends of
  broken stems through continued sprout management
• Later visits ( 4 years after storm)Preventive
  pruning to reduce and remove codominant stems

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Sproutsemerging
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Over time, sprouts develop woody stems and can
grow into strong lateral branches
but they need your help!
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Reduce some- Shorten 1/3 of the sprouts. They
will continue to store energy, but will
eventually be removed. Remove some- Remove 1/3
of the sprouts to allow space for the most
vigorous ones to grow. Leave some- These will
develop into the new branches.
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Sprout management
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Reduce someRemove someLeave some
Once growth slows a bit
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Before
After
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After first restoration pruning
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Restoration pruning program

• First visit (1 - 2 years after storm or
  later)Sprout managementreduce some, remove
  some, leave some
• Second, third visits (space visits 1 year
  apart)Establish a new leader at the ends of
  broken stems through continued sprout management
• Later visits ( 4 years after storm)Preventive
  pruning to reduce and remove codominant stems

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Establishing new leaders

1. During canopy cleaning, make pruning cut on limb
2. Let branches sprout
3. After sprout growth slows, reduce some, remove
   some, leave some
4. Select sprout to be the new leader. - Look for
   lateral branches and collar

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The swelling at the base of the branch is called
a collar. Presence of a collar indicates a
strong attachment.
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Establishing new leaders

• New leaders can seal over damaged tips on broken
  stems 4 inches or less in diameter
• Larger stems (2 - 4 inches) more time and
  sprout management

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Storm breaks off top
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Storm breaks off top
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Reduce back to lateral
Tie to stake
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Before After
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8 months later
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8 months later
Close-up
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Begin restoration
Beforepruning
Afterpruning
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Begin restoration
Top two branches removed with one cut
Beforepruning
Notice that there are two sprouts at the same
point. One will be removed later so the other
can dominate.
Afterpruning
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One year after initial damage
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Restoration pruning program

• First visit (1 - 2 years after storm or
  later)Sprout managementreduce some, remove
  some, leave some
• Second, third visits (space visits 1 year
  apart)Establish a new leader at the ends of
  broken stems through continued sprout management
• Later visits ( 4 years after storm)Preventive
  pruning to reduce and remove codominant stems

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To learn about preventive pruning

• Visit Ed Gilmans website
• http//hort.ifas.ufl.edu/woody
• Urban Forest Hurricane Recovery Program
• http//treesandhurricanes.ifas.ufl.edu