CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (KWWL)- The Iowa Department of Natural Resources estimates it will take a full generation for our ecosystem to recover from the storm.
In a new report that is set to be released in the coming days, the DNR estimates the derecho wiped out more than four million trees across the state.
Iowa DNR Disaster Recovery Coordinator Nick McGrath said the lack of trees could leaders to higher temperatures, decrease the air quality, and make flash flooding more likely.
"We are going to feel it when it comes to increasing energy use because people will be running air conditioners more often," McGrath said. "We might see some issues with stormwater runoff since there are fewer trees to catch that rainfall as it comes down."
McGrath said we are just starting to experience those long-term effects from the storm. The DNR estimates the lack of trees could lead to a handful of bigger issues with a multi-million dollar price tag.
"Iowans will feel the effects of the derecho to the tune of about $20 million a year in extra needs," McGrath said.
Without trees for shade, the temperatures will be hotter. McGrath said over time that could lead to a handful of infrastructure-related issues.
"The constant heat on the concrete will wear away at that substance, leading your roads to break down faster than your sidewalks to break down," he said. "Now you've got, you know, more city money tied up and fixing those. And all because you don't have trees."
To mitigate some of the effects, the DNR is encouraging all Iowans to plant new trees as soon as they can.
In Linn County, the derecho took out 60% of the county's tree canopy. In John Zakrasek's forest alone, 80% of the trees were destroyed.
The once luscious forest is now piles of uprooted and mangles trees.
"I got estimates to clean it up, and it is $70,000 to clean up and replant," Zakrasek said. "There are trees that are leaning over, that is going to fall, there are trees and branches that have been bent off."
Zakrasek has made progress on cleaning up some parts of his forest, but the terrain has made other parts hard to get to. Some of it needs heavy equipment.
"We start on the very smallest limbs and just work our way all the way through until we got to the trunk, and we've been able to clear some small areas," he said. "We want to have somebody come in help with heavy equipment so we can get the clearing done more rapidly and effectively."
With trees going on top of each other and to make sure future planted trees grow properly, Zakrasek will need to make the difficult decision to cut down many of the trees that made it through the storm.
"You would rather not take down more trees when you already lost so many, but that may be a smarter move than having to re-plant all the trees you planted when you fall on them," he said.
Zakrasek is also fending off invasive species like honeysuckle and bittersweet while constantly protecting his forest from erosion.
Most trees in his forest were around 70 years old. He estimates it will take around 25 years for his forest to recover enough to have a solid tree capony again.
The DNR estimates it will take between 30 and 60 years for the ecosystem to recover fully.
"So many of the trees that were lost were trees on somebody's private property," McGrath said. "It's going to take that citizen to actually go out and plant another tree or have a landscape crew come in and plant that tree to regain these benefits."
The DNR is also offering some monetary grants to encourage communities to plant trees.
Utility companies Alliant, Black Hills Energy, and Mid American are funding some grants, and Trees Forever has held several tree adoption events.
This year, the DNR state forest nursery has given out more than a million seedlings.
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June 24, 2021 at 12:45PM
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DNR warns of long-lasting damage to Iowa ecosystem from derecho - kwwl.com
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