Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest Research on Ice Storms

Researchers at Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest in North Woodstock have created experimental ice storm events similar to the Ice Storm of 1998 to better understand the stresses ice storms have on trees and forests. Among the findings of the research is that the capacity of forests to respond to ice storms may be changing, and may be slowing a forest’s rebound from the effects of ice storms. Another concern is that the intensity of future ice storms may be on the rise, making severe storms like the 1998 event more common. The Forest Society relies on research like this to better understand the capacity of forests to respond to ice storms when writing harvest management plans.