Climate Connections: Urban forest proves value despite storm

Susan Teitelman

Where were you at ~8:30 pm last Wednesday evening, July 24? That question has been asked thousands of times in the last week because - WOW - those winds! That storm!

As we witnessed, the thunderstorm with over 80mph winds that rushed through the Missoula valley, downed trees and powerlines, scattered vegetative debris across the city, and damaged property. City of Missoula Urban Foresters have never seen a storm like this in our community–they took to calling this “Tree-mageddon” and estimate that more than a thousand public trees succumbed to total failure due to being uprooted, splintered at the trunk, or from other injury. Approximately 60% of Missoula’s city trees sustained damage of some kind. So what comes next?

Tree crews from the city and county have been working tirelessly over the past week to assess damages, remove debris, prioritize tree removal areas, and offer residents a place to take their trees and branches. We’re so grateful for their efforts. Marie DuCharme, Urban Forestry Program Specialist with the City of Missoula, emphasizes that the current number of damaged and failed trees are still estimates. The true impacts will not be known until a full re-inventory is completed, which could take months.

As the lead on Climate Smart Missoula’s Trees for Missoula program, which advocates for our urban forest, I’m personally mourning the widespread damage sustained by our beloved trees. Those of us working in urban forestry certainly have our work cut out for us in the coming years. But, the arboreal carnage left by the storm also serves as a call to action to rebuild our urban forest in a thoughtful, forward-thinking, climate-smart way.

We are already seeing local impacts of climate change, like increasing temperatures, longer heat waves, and drier conditions, and we are forming a plan to plant climate resilient trees. Last week’s storm may have been anomalous, but extreme weather events are increasing in frequency and severity, and we may see more heavy storms here in Missoula.

Though some tree loss is inevitable with extreme winds, we can build our urban forest to withstand heavier storms, should they come our way. Planting the right types of trees in the right places and providing good care to our trees will help to ensure a robust, diverse tree canopy that is more resilient to extreme weather of all kinds.

Jamie Kirby, Urban & Community Forestry program director for the Montana DNRC, notes that “urban trees have been put to the test over the last several years with extreme weather events, like heat, freezing temperatures, and storm damage events from wind and snow.” Kirby explains that urban foresters across the West have been observing these climate trends and have begun planning for climate resilience.

Here in Missoula, we too are forming a plan to plant and care for more climate resilient trees. We’re prioritizing shady trees and species that are tolerant of heat, drought, and extreme weather. Certain species have proven to thrive in these conditions, but it will be an ongoing process to learn which trees will be successful here, given our changing climate circumstances. Kirby reminds us that it will be a process of trial and error to learn which species are suited for urban areas as conditions change, as well as best practices that will ensure they thrive.

In the meantime, we do have current best practices in place to help our urban forest succeed right now. In the aftermath of the storm, we’ve received questions about best practices for replanting our urban forest, and we’d like to share a few tips:

Care for your damaged trees.

If your trees were damaged during the storm, please be cautious. If it is safe to do so, remove hanging or dangerous branches from trees. Damaged trees that are still standing may need to be assessed by a professional to determine the degree of injury and need for pruning or removal. For a how-to on caring for damaged trees, visit Tree First Aid After A Storm.

If you have specific questions about a tree on your property, please contact Missoula Parks & Recreation or visit their Storm Damaged Tree page for more information. To find a local arborist, check out this Certified Arborist List.

Water your trees!

Trees require long-term maintenance, and we've plenty of hot summer still to go. Missoula is a semi-arid climate and our gravelly soils make it difficult for trees to hold onto water. Newly planted and young trees (1-3 years) require the most water, and trees should continue to be watered throughout their lives. In the hottest months of the year (July, August, September), it is especially important to make sure trees get water. Many of our trees failed during the storm because improper or lack of care left them in a weakened state. Watering your trees is vital to maintaining trees’ health and strength, making them more storm-resilient. Click here for specifics on how to water your trees.

Plant the right tree!

When it’s time to replant (no earlier than this fall), check back with Trees for Missoula for an updated street tree list. We recommend avoiding planting certain trees that are known for structural issues like Norway maple, cottonwoods, and blue spruce, all of which were identified as being heavily impacted by our recent storm.

Plant in the right place. 

Being mindful of how to plant trees is also important for rebuilding a strong urban forest. Using correct planting techniques, planting in the appropriate seasons (Spring and Fall - NOT in the heat of summer), and proper placement of trees (considering utility lines, buildings, sidewalks, soil type, and so forth) are all crucial to ensure the success of a tree. You can find thorough planting guidelines here.

Here are a few ways you can support and help rebuild our urban forest after the devastating storm:

• Volunteer. The City of Missoula is working hard and quickly to clear debris, but they could use some extra help staffing two debris drop site locations. Sign up here to volunteer at one of two drop off locations. They need 100 volunteers to get through Sunday August 4, so feel free to sign up for as many shifts as you’d like!

• Subscribe to the Trees for Missoula email list for updates about urban trees and volunteer opportunities.

• Donate! The next few months and years are going to be crucial for tree removals, replantings, and maintenance of our urban forest. You can support our work here. We appreciate your contribution!

A final note:

One thing that has become clear to me in the aftermath of Wednesday’s storm is how much Missoulians love trees and our community. Missoula has been abuzz with anecdotes from the storm, stories about our wonderful trees, and offers of help for community members who lost power and water.

Even given the destruction caused by last week’s storm, I’m delighted to see our community come together in support of one another and I’m thankful to all of the first responders who quickly stepped up to begin to clean up and rebuild.

I’m grateful to live and work in a community that understands the importance of our urban forests and the benefits they provide. While we’ve suffered huge losses, I’m truly looking forward to the opportunity to work with colleagues and community members to care for our remaining trees and plant and grow a resilient urban forest that will thrive in perpetuity.

Susan Teitelman is the Climate Resilience Specialist at Climate Smart Missoula, which brings this Climate Connections column to you 2 or 3 Fridays each month. Learn more about our work and our Trees for Missoula program, support our efforts, or sign up for our e-newsletter at missoulaclimate.org.