On December 26th we had quite a storm here in Finland, and a lot of trees fell down, causing disruptions in electricity, blocking road and rail traffic. Some problems still remain, even though almost a week has passed since then.
Today I made a long walk, walking from Kurkijärvi lake to east, towards Vestra. In Vestra I explored a forest where I haven't been before, and it was quite a place, as a lot of big trees had fallen, bringing other trees down.
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Two Hydrants
2 hours ago
3 comments:
Heartbreaking to see so much forest damage, although the forest will heal over time, and of course the downed/damaged trees make excellent habitat for all sorts of forest dwelling creatures.
What species of trees are these? I am guessing they're what I'd call 'Norway Spruce' (Picea abies), but I am curious - they way the windthrown trees have been uprooted with a broad, flat root mass is very similar to what we see here in the PNW of the US with Douglas Fir (Pseuotsuga menziesii).
@Paul: The species of fir we have in Finland (except for Lapland) is Picea abies subsp. abies. The roots never go deep but stay near the topsoil. This is also why they easy fall down in a storm.
Why we got so much forest damage during this storm was due to the wetness of the winter. We had had so much rain that it has completely wetted the soil, making it hard for the roots to keep their grip.
@Paul: One more thing - this forest is part of a nature reserve, so the fallen trees will stay the way they are. This is a feast for bark beetles and other such critters.
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