Ice storm impact and management implications for jack pine and pitch pine stands in New York, USA

Abstract

In January 1998, an ice storm caused severe damage to the rare jack pine – pitch pine barrens in northeastern New York. We quantified tree damage and recovery in seven barrens stands and an adjacent red pine stand. Ice storm damage was variable among stands with 44% to 94% of trees exhibiting damage. Live tree basal area (BA) was reduced by 9% to 45% in six of the eight stands, and dead tree BA increased in all stands. In mixed jack pine – pitch pine stands, the percent of jack pines dead after the ice storm (71% to 91%) was much higher than red maple (0% to 7%) or pitch pine (17% to 25%).Mortality of pitch pine was very low due largely to its ability to produce epicormic growth. Red pine exhibited more severe damage than eastern white pine. Because pine regeneration remains absent or sparse in the barrens stands, deciduous trees and ericaceous shrubs may eventually replace pine species. Mortality due to ice damage may exacerbate this problem in the absence of some regenerating disturbance, such as fire or harvesting. Key words: ice storm damage, pine barrens, Pinus banksiana, jack pine, Pinus rigida, pitch pine, Pinus resinosa, red pine, Pinus strobus, eastern white pine, Acer rubrum, red maple