Before recent rains, drought conditions that persisted in Lincoln County from August into January increased the risks standing dead trees pose.
Even with the heavy rainfall, the drought’s true impact on trees is just beginning. Bugs, disease and stress may have taken a toll on trees in the area following the prolonged drought and it could cause safety concerns moving forward. Both southern pine beetles and Epps beetles will target stressed out pine trees. “Loblolly and shortleaf have been hit hard but I’ve seen the bugs in longleaf pines too,” says Mississippi Forestry Commission Lincoln County forester Steven Williams. “They are even in spruce pines. All the pines are at risk. The bugs don’t discriminate.”
Williams says the dead trees are high risk for anyone trying to cut them down. “You have dead timber and it will rot which could cause the top to break out and fall on you if you are cutting the tree,” he explains. “You will have widow makers. They could come down on you even while walking in the woods. We will face risks as these trees rot. They could fall across roads and may cause wildfires by downing powerlines.”
Williams recommends anyone who has dead trees around their home to have them professionally removed by a licensed tree service. The service should be bonded as well in case they accidentally cause damage to your property.
In the woods, it is best to leave the trees standing if you are unable to safely get a chainsaw to it. Pileated woodpeckers and squirrels will use dead trees for dens but typically pine trees come down quickly once they die. “The top will start and the rest will come down,” Williams says. It might be smart to keep an eye out for dead pine trees over the next year as those could come down with strong winds or storms.
Williams says section 16 land in Lincoln County has some bad spots where timber was killed. They will have to take a loss, and stands will have to be replanted. School districts use section 16 land to generate revenue typically through hunting leases and timber sales.