Evaluating the Likelihood of Tree Failure in Naples, Florida (United States) Following Hurricane Irma
Trees in residential landscapes provide many benefits, but can injure persons and damage property when they fail. In hurricane-prone regions like Florida, USA, the regular occurrence of hurricanes has provided an opportunity to assess factors that influence the likelihood of wind-induced tree failur...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2020-04-01
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| Series: | Forests |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/11/5/485 |
| _version_ | 1797569613909721088 |
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| author | Ryan W. Klein Andrew K. Koeser Brian Kane Shawn M. Landry Heather Shields Stephen Lloyd Gail Hansen |
| author_facet | Ryan W. Klein Andrew K. Koeser Brian Kane Shawn M. Landry Heather Shields Stephen Lloyd Gail Hansen |
| author_sort | Ryan W. Klein |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Trees in residential landscapes provide many benefits, but can injure persons and damage property when they fail. In hurricane-prone regions like Florida, USA, the regular occurrence of hurricanes has provided an opportunity to assess factors that influence the likelihood of wind-induced tree failure and develop species failure profiles. We assessed open-grown trees in Naples, Florida, following the passage of Hurricane Irma in September 2017 to determine the effect of relevant factors on the degree of damage sustained by individual trees. Of 4034 assessed individuals (<i>n</i> = 15 species), 74% sustained no damage, 4% sustained only minor damage (i.e., minimal corrective pruning needed), 6% sustained significant damage (i.e., major corrective pruning needed), and 15% were whole-tree failures (i.e., overturned trees or trees requiring removal). The proportion of individuals in each damage category varied among species, stem diameter at 1.4 m above ground, and the presence of utility lines, which was a proxy for maintenance. We compared our results with the findings of seven previous hurricanes in the region to explore species’ resilience in hurricanes. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T20:14:06Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-09fe03ea24864652adb4131de690d69f |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1999-4907 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T20:14:06Z |
| publishDate | 2020-04-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Forests |
| spelling | doaj.art-09fe03ea24864652adb4131de690d69f2023-11-19T22:41:05ZengMDPI AGForests1999-49072020-04-0111548510.3390/f11050485Evaluating the Likelihood of Tree Failure in Naples, Florida (United States) Following Hurricane IrmaRyan W. Klein0Andrew K. Koeser1Brian Kane2Shawn M. Landry3Heather Shields4Stephen Lloyd5Gail Hansen6Department of Environmental Horticulture, CLCE, IFAS, University of Florida, 100A Mehrhof Hall, Gainesville, FL 32611, USADepartment of Environmental Horticulture, CLCE, IFAS, University of Florida–Gulf Coast Research and Education Center, 14625 County Road 672, Wimauma, FL 33598, USADepartment of Environmental Conservation, University of Massachusetts, 160 Holdsworth Way, Amherst, MA 01003, USASchool of Geosciences, University of South Florida, 4202 East Fowler Avenue, Tampa, FL 33620, USACity Arborist–Project Manager, 280 Riverside Circle, Naples, FL 34102, USAFlorida Forest Service–U&CF Partnership Coordinator, 4316 International Speedway Blvd., Daytona Beach, FL 02124, USADepartment of Environmental Horticulture, CLCE, IFAS, University of Florida, Building 550 Room 101, Gainesville, FL 32611, USATrees in residential landscapes provide many benefits, but can injure persons and damage property when they fail. In hurricane-prone regions like Florida, USA, the regular occurrence of hurricanes has provided an opportunity to assess factors that influence the likelihood of wind-induced tree failure and develop species failure profiles. We assessed open-grown trees in Naples, Florida, following the passage of Hurricane Irma in September 2017 to determine the effect of relevant factors on the degree of damage sustained by individual trees. Of 4034 assessed individuals (<i>n</i> = 15 species), 74% sustained no damage, 4% sustained only minor damage (i.e., minimal corrective pruning needed), 6% sustained significant damage (i.e., major corrective pruning needed), and 15% were whole-tree failures (i.e., overturned trees or trees requiring removal). The proportion of individuals in each damage category varied among species, stem diameter at 1.4 m above ground, and the presence of utility lines, which was a proxy for maintenance. We compared our results with the findings of seven previous hurricanes in the region to explore species’ resilience in hurricanes.https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/11/5/485hurricanetree risk assessmenturban forest strike teamspecies failure profilelikelihood of failure |
| spellingShingle | Ryan W. Klein Andrew K. Koeser Brian Kane Shawn M. Landry Heather Shields Stephen Lloyd Gail Hansen Evaluating the Likelihood of Tree Failure in Naples, Florida (United States) Following Hurricane Irma Forests hurricane tree risk assessment urban forest strike team species failure profile likelihood of failure |
| title | Evaluating the Likelihood of Tree Failure in Naples, Florida (United States) Following Hurricane Irma |
| title_full | Evaluating the Likelihood of Tree Failure in Naples, Florida (United States) Following Hurricane Irma |
| title_fullStr | Evaluating the Likelihood of Tree Failure in Naples, Florida (United States) Following Hurricane Irma |
| title_full_unstemmed | Evaluating the Likelihood of Tree Failure in Naples, Florida (United States) Following Hurricane Irma |
| title_short | Evaluating the Likelihood of Tree Failure in Naples, Florida (United States) Following Hurricane Irma |
| title_sort | evaluating the likelihood of tree failure in naples florida united states following hurricane irma |
| topic | hurricane tree risk assessment urban forest strike team species failure profile likelihood of failure |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/11/5/485 |
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