Knowledgebase
How to manage snow damaged trees #780919
Asked January 28, 2022, 8:19 AM EST
Prince George's County Maryland
Expert Response
Three acres is a beautiful forest, but is very large.
We suggest that you start by trying to help any landscaped areas of your yard where you have planted ornamentals or that you prize or see from within your home that need your help.
Overall you can go out asap with a long handled broom to knock down/release some of the snow load on trees you are concerned about. Evergreens tend to hold more and are more likely to break so dust them off first.
The bent over branches of deciduous trees like the one in your photo, once relieved of the snow pack are likely to straighten up with time, especially in the growing season.
For trees in your landscape areas that have snapped, you can prune back to the nearest limb with a fresh cut, which is more likely to heal well than a break. Here is our page on pruning to make the healthiest cuts:
https://extension.umd.edu/resource/pruning-trees
From a distance it is difficult to really tell you what to do with the trees that have heaved out of the ground. If they are young and easily re-stablized, you could try to prop them up and re-introduce the rootball to good earth, but if lots of roots were lost it may be futile. If it is a naturally growing tree in an established woodlot we would just tend to leave it alone. Dead or alive (or struggling) trees are valuable to wildlife habitat and can be kept in place as long as their eventual/possible fall would not harm people or property.
Otherwise, you could also consider hiring a tree health expert, called a certified arborist to evaluate your situation. You can search for an ISA-Certified Arborist at the credentialing website here: www.treesaregood.org
Christine
any other suggestions for them?
The trees are dormant (not growing) right now but the bent over branches of deciduous trees are likely to straighten up with time, especially in the growing season, though in some cases it could take more than a season.
You could ask a certified arborist (see above).
We are not sure of the results or risks, but you could carefully try gently staking branches toward a more upright position(depending on size perhaps using the back of a rake or a "T" shaped wooden thing, or by using a guy wire or cable to help. Be sure to protect the tree with a cloth, foam noodle or piece of hose between the branch and the wire/stake.
Christine