Proper maintenance can help trees withstand hurricanes

Tree-lined city streets are more than just pretty.

The trees’ canopies provide shade. Their roots help filter stormwater. And as they grow, the trees absorb planet-warming carbon pollution.

But when a hurricane hits, winds can wipe out those trees, and broken branches can damage homes and cars.

Stephanie Cadaval of the University of Florida says maintaining and pruning trees can limit these risks.

Cadaval: “Trees that are not well-maintained, trees that are unhealthy … these trees are at greater risk for dropping limbs.”

It’s also important to plant the right trees in the right spots.

Cadaval says some species – like live oaks and gumbo limbos in the Florida region – are more wind-resistant.

Large trees should be placed far from homes and power lines – and given ample space for their roots to grow and anchor them in the wind.

Cadaval: “Sometimes we’ve got some pretty large trees planted in spaces that are pretty small, and you have to imagine the amount of root space that they have is pretty limited.”

And planting trees in groups is beneficial because they can help shield each other from the wind.

With these precautions, hurricane-prone areas can limit storm damage – and protect their urban forests.