Houston area may lose 10% of tree canopy to drought

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Kenster

Kenster

Minister of Fire
Jan 10, 2010
1,705
Texas- West of Houston
A Houston area forestry expert predicts that the prolonged drought and heat wave in Texas will kill up to 10% of the entire tree canopy in the Houston area-- up to 66 million trees could be lost! Could be worse than the number of trees destroyed by Hurricane Ike a couple of years ago.
Not only will this affect the natural beauty of the eight county area but will also have a profound effect on air pollution and will create heat spots where there is currently deep shade. And Houston is not even close to being in the most drought stricken part of the state.

I definitely see some trees in my own woods that are dying.

I believe that we are all foresters on some level. That we love trees and appreciate the beauty that trees bring to the landscape. Even though we tend to look at a mighty oak and calculate BTUs, I'd like to believe that none of us really would wish for wide scale destruction of our wooded treasures, whether by drought or storm. And yes, there will be lots of firewood to be had but the sad thing is that, on this scale, a large percentage of this wood will be wasted.

Firewood vendors are going to have a bleak few years coming up as the market will be flooded.

Sure wish that Tropical Storm Lee would have come into Texas!
 
I am betting that the people in LA wish Lee came to visit you as well.

It is a shame to hear that so many trees will be lost.

Shawn
 
Yes, I feel for the Texans. But around here we too have lost 10% or more of our trees due to insects and those were mostly brought from overseas. The worst in MI are elm, ash, oak and beech. They all have taken a big hit.
 
I can see the results of past drought in the woods here. I need to start thinning out the trash that's sucking up water that could be used by the bigger, healthier trees. With the weather changes that are taking place, I think drought conditions will become more common.
 
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