New Video Series Explores Derecho Damaged Forests in Iowa

Integrated Pest Management and the Department of Natural Resource Ecology and Management has put out a great video series on the impact of the derecho in 2020.

This four-part series is available on the IPM Youtube Channel, and are as follows:

Video 1:  Storm-Damaged Forests: Overview of the 2020 Iowa Derecho

            This ~3-minute video provides a general overview of storm impacts to Midwestern forests, with specific focus on the 2020 Iowa derecho. 

Video 2: Storm-Damaged Forests: Assessment following the Storm

            This ~3-minute video provides a general overview of how to assess and evaluate forests following impactful storm events. Specific topics include: safety, mapping damage extent, types and implications of damage, evaluation of the understory and regeneration, and planning for recovery and resilience. 

Video 3:  Storm-Damaged Forests: Management following the Storm

            This ~3-minute video provides a general overview of forest management actions and recovery strategies following impactful storm events, with emphasis on oak ecosystems. Specific topics include: regaining forest access, forest stand improvement (FSI), salvage harvest, and creating resilient forests. 

Video 4: Storm-Damaged Forests: A Landowner Story of Recovery and Resilience

            This ~5-minute video provides a tour of the Wiley Family’s derecho-impacted forest in Linn County, Iowa. The video covers their specific, yet relatable, situation and provides a general overview of their recovery strategy. Although the Wiley’s sustained seemingly devastating damage, their decades of active forest management represents a model for resiliency. 

Links to this article are strongly encouraged, and this article may be republished without further permission if published as written and if credit is given to the author, Yard and Garden, and Iowa State University Extension and Outreach. If this article is to be used in any other manner, permission from the author is required. This article was originally published on June 4, 2021. The information contained within may not be the most current and accurate depending on when it is accessed.