1 Single year drought impacts on trees and forests Steve D’Eon, R.P.F. Program Forester

2 Drought: From a tree perspective? Impact on trees. Impact on forests. What you should know about it.

3 Drought: 1 st How bad was it? Rain Gauge Data Forest fires

4 StationMayJNJLMayJNJL% BROMLEY % ROSS % Hyndford % HORTON % ADMASTON % WESTMEATH S % GRATTAN % Haggerty % Mcnab % WESTMEATH N % ALICE & FRASER % WILBERFORCE % Raglan % Lyndoch % Griffith % Brudenell % Average % Month < 50 mm Month < 25 mm Source:

5 Why I don’t like monthly rain gauge data. Daily data from Cormac Monthly totals May 41 mm June 64 mm July 65 mm August 75 mm Daily data shows during the 34 day period June 20 to July 22 only 6 mm fell. Data courtesy Frank Ahern, Cormac, Ontario

6 30 days prior to July 16th Red = 60 mm less than normal precip. Source :

7 30 days prior to July 23 rd

’s 2012 Env. Canada, Ottawa airport data

9 Photo courtesy OMNR fire

10 Drought: 2012: 46 fires (2011 one fire)

11 Photo courtesy OMNR fire

12 Drought: From the perspective of a tree?

13 Spring Freshette = soil moisture 2012 Normal year 2012: spring melt was early and not replaced by rain. source

14 Season when drought strikes is important Figure courtesy Glen McLeod, Trees Ontario

15 Worst time to have a drought: Shoot and leaf/needle elongation

16 Newly planted seedlings Drought when they were elongating shoots….

17 For a tree, Stress is Cumulative 2010 spring frost Recent harvest 2012 acorn crop

18 When drought pushes trees beyond their Tipping Point: Aug. 20 th looking sick but not dead.

19 August 20 th, 2012

20 Same place, November 7 th, 2012

21 3. Drought Impacts on trees Stress into the future Growth loss, stem form Crown dieback Root dieback Death (especially newly planted)

22 Stress into the future Parts of a tree die.

23 Stress into the future Trees try to recover by epicormic buds. Left is early Sept. Above is Aug. 20 th. Photo: Linda Touzin OMNR

24 Stress into the future Excessive flowering or what is called a stress cone or seed crop.

25 Drought impact: Growth loss Diameter, Height 2013?

26 Drought impact: Stem Form

27 Crown/Root Dieback Root dieback lies unseen but weakens the tree’s anchor, uptake.

28 Crown/Root Dieback Early leaf fall, Dead and dying parts in the crown. August 28th

29 Drought caused Mortality Germanicus Road, Eganville

30 4. Drought Impacts on forests Forests are resilient. Forests are more than just trees. The resource is the site, trees are the crop.

31 Drought Impacts on forests Stress continues into the future. (don’t add more stress!) Off-site species, thin soils, restricted rooting, sandy gravelly soils, poorly managed stands will all see greater impact from drought stress.

32 Drought Impacts on forests Photo curtsey of OMNR Pembroke fire

33 Drought Impacts on forests Taylor Scarr, OMNR

34 South facing slopes Micksburg

35 South facing slope Goshen Road, Renfrew Zion Line, Cobden

36 Thin soiled knolls Behind Renfrew Toyota

37 Thin soiled knolls Zion line

38 Recently planted 2009 (age 3) 2012 (age 6) Lake Clear Road

39 Recently planted Pr Spruce HW +RefillTotalProperSurv , , ,900209,05089%82% ,9805,0005, , ,6007,0503,1902,700164,54092%93% ,55010, ,00088%94% ,0003,3004,6505,40088,35070%73% ,64018,3505,4504,45097,89095%87% ,59042,6004,950100k+142,14095% 24%

40 Recently planted Kutschke Road

41 Random patches Goshen Road, Renfrew

42 5. What you should know Monitor, don’t jump to conclusions. Seek qualified advice for things you don’t know. Best advice is to keep forests healthy and properly managed. Take a long-term perspective.

43 What you should know Confirm dead, Refill plant, Supplement nature. Dead Alive Watering maple, Zion Line, Cobden Near Barry’s Bay

44 Sanitize or let nature heal? Hennen Road, Pembroke Wood from browned out trees is marginally marketable up until dries out this spring.

45 Monitor, advice Monitor for secondary pests, Sanitize, Let nature heal. Ips pini CFB Petawawa White spotted pine sawyer beetle

46 What you should know: Don’t add more stress!!! Green (live branches) pruning, any activity that: compacts the soil, removes organic matter, removes nutrition, allows wind to blow through and dry out your stand…..

47 What Should You Know? Don’t add more stress!!!

48 Drought: From the perspective of a tree. Impact on trees. Impact on forests. What you should know.

49 Thank You Steve D’Eon, R.P.F