New study: Identifying defects in damaged trees to improve guidance for timber salvage
Trees damaged by severe winds experience twisting and snapping that damages useful parts of the tree bole. Visible damage is readily visible on lower portions of damaged trees, but unseen defects can extend further up the bole. Thus it can be difficult for loggers to determine wood quality and merchantability during post-storm timber salvage. We used acoustic measurements to find wood defects and found that traditional guidelines are too conservative. We provide guidance for loggers to help safely harvest substantially more of the bole after severe winds.