Recent moderate temperatures and rain have been welcomed in some regions following days with temperatures hovering around the 100-degree mark and sparse rainfall. But, it’s still mid-August and summer is far from over.
We can’t control the weather or prevent droughts, but there are a number of things forestland owners can do to minimize the effects of unusually hot and dry weather. Bird & Crawford Forestry President and CEO, J. Mike Bird, offers the following tips.
“During the severe drought we experienced in 2011, many of our clients’ timber stands in Northeastern Texas and Northwestern Louisiana were spared the devastating damage that occurred in and around the Houston/Woodlands area. That’s not to say that there was not some loss in our area, but not like the wide-spread damage many observed in Southeast Texas.”
“Later that summer, it was not uncommon for entire tracts of pine and/ or hardwood to exhibit mortality to more than 80-percent of the existing stand, yet, other stands would exhibit minimal or no loss. What’s the difference?”
“Timber stands that had been thinned properly and had some form of understory control (burn or herbicide treatment) survived better. Managing forest density and composition can help decrease the effects of drought on forests. Proper thinning reduces the density of trees in your forestlands, provides the landowner with periodic revenue and increases the health and vigor of the remaining trees by increasing available moisture.”
“A properly managed forest reduces moisture related stress on timber stands, maintains a healthy and vigorous timber stand and increases future revenue.”
“We can help.”
