After the wind/rain storm had come and gone I ventured out to the woods near Almonte again. Hoping for some late flowers and to see what damage might have been caused by the storm.
There weren't many flowers to be found. Most of the white trilliums had faded, one foam flower was still blooming as were a few violets.
I also found some fresh fungi and unexpectedly, a small grouping of mushrooms.
The storm certainly did some damage to the forest. While one area was hit quite badly, other areas got off lightly. The same woods had been hit quite hard by the freezing rain storm of 1998 and a tornado touched down, relatively lightly, earlier in the 1990's.
In the words of the owner of the forest:
Ecologically, windstorms are a factor in the regeneration of old growth hardwood forests. The gaps in the canopy created by large fallen trees allow for the establishment of new seedlings. Practically, as maple farmers and forest managers, we respect natural forces, but they create danger, along with a lot of work and expense!
The damage is quite dramatic. Trees with stem defects or weak branch joints snap off at various heights while others, despite their expensive root systems are uprooted and tipped over.
There is also a “domino effect” when one tree hits another and pushes it over. As the branches and trees fall, they land on our pipeline systems and trails.
The effects of this storm for years to come.
Two 15" diameter cherry trees in the garden by the house were destroyed.
