Healthy trees in open locations are seldom damaged by storms, even when exposed to high winds. Trees in these conditions become resilient to wind and weather conditions, including ice, snow and rain, and withstand storm damage with plenty of room to grow and sway.

Conversely, trees growing in unmanaged forests and along roadsides are more susceptible to storm damage due to competition for space, sunlight and water. In these cases, crowded conditions create susceptibility to tree damage on blue sky and stormy days.

To understand tree behavior for safety and proactive tree trimming benefits, UConn forest researchers specializing in tree sway mechanics are continuously monitoring the motions of forest-grown trees.

Field experiments are monitoring trees before and after removal of specific trees to track progress toward becoming wind-firm. The trees, in three Connecticut locations, are wearing sensors to capture tree sway at a rate of 10 times per second, 24 hours a day, in all wind speeds. This research is valuable in our Mapping Tree Risk initiative.

The research will identify why some trees and limbs break, while others bend with the motion of the wind. This research will provide guidance to Roadside Tree and Forest Management and utility tree trimming best practices.

Connecticut ranks thirteenth in the nation in terms of percent forest cover and fourth in terms of population density 55 percent of Connecticut is currently covered by forest Trees in wetlands, rocky or shallow soils have shallow roots and are more susceptible to uprooting. Trees grown in unmanaged forest conditions tend to be tall and slender and susceptible to damage when exposed to wind. Trees in a forest are sheltered by neighboring trees and typically have less wind exposure than open grown trees. Trees along a forest edge are unsheltered and have high potential for wind exposure. Trees along a new or recently trimmed forest edge may be less stable until they adjust to the increased wind exposure. Trees along a forest edge grow toward the open space and so tend to have severe leans and lopsided crowns with reduced stability. Compared to trees that are grown in crowded conditions, trees that have room will grow larger trunks and symmetrical crowns which improves stability and wind resistance. The form of a tree can affect its stability – leans or lopsided crowns make a tree less storm-resistant.