Ashland SWCD Looks Back on 2022 Derecho Forest Impacts

When you think back to the summer of 2022, one of the most memorable local phenomena was the major derecho storm event that devastates local woodlands with extremely strong straight-line winds. That fall, Ashland Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) hosted a Conservation Chat: Forestry FAQs in the Mohican Forest to look at hard hit areas with professional foresters and talk about what can be done to help woodlands recover after significant storm events.

Two years later, Ashland SWCD will be returning to the scene of the derecho by visiting some of the significantly damaged woodlands to see the progress of storm clean up and how those woodlands are recovering today. The Forestry FAQs Follow Up Conservation Chat will take place on November 14 at 5 p.m. with participants meeting at the Mohican Memorial Shrine to start the evening.

“This is a great opportunity for woodland owners to see what they might expect if their own woods are damaged in a storm event in terms of recovery,” said Jane Houin, Ashland SWCD director. “These are areas were really hard hit by the derecho event, but this is really a story of hope to see the natural recovery and regrowth of damaged woodlands.”

ODNR forester Jake Peer spoke at the original 2022 Forestry FAQs Conservation Chat about the clean up plans and harvest techniques used after the 2022 derecho storm event that hit the Mohican area.

Certified forester Jordan Thompson will be on-hand for participants to walk the damaged woodlands and talk about the post-storm harvest techniques and clean up in the Mohican Forest and surrounding private woodlands. Thompson will also share information on forest management plans and how to modify those plans when the unexpected happens, like a significant storm event.

In this case, one of the opportunities created by losing so many mature trees is the creation of early successional forestry habitat for wildlife.

“Forest management plans are a valuable tool landowners can use to identify priority management practices to improve the overall health and productivity of their woodlands,” Houin said. “Participants will learn more about forest management plans, and the benefits of those plans, including use as a CAUV (current agricultural use value) tax savings and basis for participating in other cost-share programming.”

Information will also be available on NRCS forestry cost-share practices and opportunities. Registration for the event is $5 for individuals, or free for both you and a friend when you register together. Participants will meet at the Mohican Memorial Shrine at 5 p.m. to travel to the different woodland sites.

For more information, contact Ashland SWCD Conservation Specialist Katie Eikleberry at 419-281-7645 or vey email at keikleberry@ashalndcounty.org The event will take place rain or shine and participants should dress for the weather.