Brad Gurr, a certified arborist with SavaTree in Ossining, sent me a follow-up to his newsletter last month about wind and trees. Here’s a link to the Part 1 post.

Earlier this spring, I learned from Doug Tallamy’s new book that oak trees are the No. 1 thing to plant for native bugs and birds. Now I know they are also the most wind-resistant tree.

Here’s Brad:

“While it’s true that “things will change, come what may”, it is a good idea to think about what you can do to prevent wind damage in the first place.

“Knowing the resistance to wind damage of the trees you’re planting is a great place to start.

“The following list of trees is arranged from the least wind damage resistant trees to the most resistant:

spruce

pine

cedar

juniper

cherry

willow

silver maple

poplar

linden

ash

oak

“This chart should be used as a guideline and if you decide to plant trees that are more prone to wind damage you can take steps to reduce the chance of damage.

“When planting spruce plant in groups, single trees are more likely to wind throw. Spruce and pine trees need to be periodically thinned and dead wooded to open up their crowns and allow for air movement.

“Trees like cherry and silver maple have hard brittle wood. Care should be taken to grow trees with good form free from co-dominant stems. These trees can be trained to have stronger structure and thinned to reduce crown density.

“All trees benefit from having well drained sites. This should be arranged before planting.

“Changes in drainage on your property or adjacent properties can have negative effects on your trees root systems.

“Changes to grade or any injury to the roots of a tree will increase the chances of failure during strong winds. Construction on existing properties must take into consideration the effects on the root systems of mature trees. It takes surprisingly little traffic to injure the roots of large trees.

“Mature trees should be inspected for dangerous rot and large dead branches on a seasonal basis. Large dead branches should be removed promptly to prevent unexpected failure. Keeping the trees’ crown clean allows you to spot new dead branches and monitor the tree for signs of decline.

“Take the time to look at your trees before the wind sets your landscape back years! If you’re not sure what to look for contact your certified arborist.”

— Brad Gurr is an I.S.A. Certified Arborist and Plant Health Care Specialist dedicated to the care and preservation of trees. For more information on this subject or any plant health care related questions please feel free to contact on line at gurrb@yahoo.com.
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