[MassChestnutOrchards] Ice Storm Damage - Updates?

Tue Dec 16 10:19:32 EST 2008

Hi Brian -

Thanks for the update and for the photos - you guys really did get hit hard!
Good luck getting cleaned up!

I think you are right that the trees should bounce back pretty quickly,
though some sanitation measures may help prevent the spread of blight within
the orchard.  Obviously not a #1 priority for you at the present moment, but
would probably be good to get the chestnuts cleaned up and if possible seal
wounds to prevent new blight infections.  In your colder climate I doubt the
blight is too active this time of year, but the trees are definitely dormant
and can't mount much of a defense should blight make contact.  Pruning
wounds can be a great place for blight infection to start, so would be good
to try to minimize the bulk of the risk.  I know this will likely be no
small task, but whatever you can do will be better than nothing.

Thanks again for checking in and best to you  -

Kendra

From: masschestnutorchards-bounces at masschestnut.org
[mailto:masschestnutorchards-bounces at masschestnut.org] On Behalf Of Brian
Clark
Sent: Tuesday, December 16, 2008 9:35 AM
To: masschestnutorchards at masschestnut.org
Subject: Re: [MassChestnutOrchards] Ice Storm Damage - Updates?

all,
as Mike described in his earlier note, the storm has been quite devastating
to the trees above about 1200 ft. elevation (primarily on east facing
slopes) around here.  Most of the farm got power back Sunday night, but only
because we are on the "main" part of Apple Valley road.  Branches off of it
and higher elevations are still without.  Had been busy helping managing
generators to keep our apple storage and related farm buildings going - we
still have about 15,000 bushel in cold storage and controlled atmosphere
rooms which require power to maintain, and a busy time of year for us
packing and shipping, due to high holiday demand for the produce.  Strains a
100 KW generator just to run the minimal set of storage and packing
equipment.

I'm sorry to report that the Hawley chestnut orchard (at about 1800 ft. and
facing SE) was hit pretty hard, as you can see in one of the attached
pictures.  The oldest block (2003) sustained most of the damage.  The
picture is of one of the worst areas, not all of it looks this bad.

It's quite depressing to see, but I know from experience that the trees will
bounce back very quickly.  We had a similar storm in Minnesota about 15
years ago that did similar damage to my 100% American chestnut trees (about
the same age at the time) which really upset me at the time, but the
re-growth from their well established root system was quite dramatic and
within a couple years it was hard to tell.  However, I am wondering what
effect this will have on spread of blight in the orchard, as over 20 trees
already have it.  Will all the injuries dramatically speed up the
infestation?

I attached small versions of only a few of the pictures I took in
consideration of those with slow internet connections.  I will try to get
more of them organized and uploaded to a web site soon and will send out a
link then.  
The devastation starkly contrasts with the breath taking beauty of all the
ice in the bright sunshine, which you can get only the smallest hint of from
the pictures.  

PumpkinHill:  this is an east facing slope directly across the valley from
my house this morning.  Damage much more visible now that all the ice is
gone.  This was a dense, full canopy woods.
DanasChineseChestnut: remains of what was a big, beautifully shaped Chinese
Chestnut tree in my brothers yard.
OrchardDriveway: what the 1500 ft. driveway up to the orchard looks like.
The power line is on the ground under all this.
HawleyAppleTrees: In answer to the common question about apple trees after
an ice storm - heavy as the ice is, it is light compared to the load they
carry when the apples are grown, so they seldom suffer any significant
damage from storms.

Brian Clark
42 B Clark Rd.
Ashfield, MA 01330
413-625-2791, cell 507-269-4249
brianeclark at hughes.net 

At 03:29 PM 12/15/2008, you wrote:

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Hi MA-TACF -

I know much of MA got hit hard by the ice storm last Friday and wanted to
check in on how you all made out.  I've heard much of the state is still
without power and I hope you are all at least warm and dry!  Please drop me
a line when you can to let me know how you, and your orchard, are doing.  It
seems some areas were hit much harder than others, and would appreciate
hearing from you when you have a chance.

Thanks and hope all's well!

Kendra

Kendra Gurney
The American Chestnut Foundation 
New England Regional Science Coordinator
USFS Northern Research Station
705 Spear Street
South Burlington, VT 05403
Tel: 802.951.6771 x1290 Fax: 802.951.6368
Cell: 802.999.8706
Kendra at acf.org or kgurney at uvm.edu

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