Forestry Specialist Finds Positives In Derecho Aftermath

(Ames, IA) The rare and powerful derecho that rampaged across Iowa last August caused extensive damage to hundreds of thousands of trees. An Iowa State University forestry specialist says not all of the derecho damage was negative. Billy Beck says it is a chance for the state’s woodland owners to recover and make their forests even more resilient than before. Much like a wildfire can help a forest by clearing out dead trees and undergrowth, the derecho has provided the chance to rebuild some of the state’s key woodlands. Beck says diversity is vital in a forest, and that includes diversity of species, age, size, and structure, as well as distribution on the landscape.