One year ago, the ferocious windstorm slammed Lincoln & Omaha on July 31. Winds as high as 100 mph brought extensive damage to both metro areas. Hundreds of thousands lost power, and damage was widespread.
For more information on the meteorological & historic aspects of the windstorm, check out this blog post from a year ago.
Among the damage were trees with over 2000 damaged or destroyed in Omaha alone, according to Dana Freeman at the Nebraska Extension Office. A year later, some neighbors have replanted their trees. This is what is being planted, and some suggestions if you plan to plant trees in the future.
According to Julia Cambridge at the Nebraska Extension Office, many Omahans have opted to plant fast-growing trees (i.e., Maples). Yet, she warns that there are some downsides to this. Fast-growing trees often have weaker wood, meaning they may not endure extreme weather events like high winds as well.
Instead, she recommends getting native-born species (American Hawthorn, Chinkapin Oak, or Sycamore Trees). Though they will grow slower, they will last longer in the extreme variations of weather that Nebraska and Iowa experience.
A few trees to avoid: Ash trees, Ornamental Pears, and Tree of Heaven, as these trees are invasive.
