Ontario's forest science efforts following the 1998 ice storm

The 1998 ice storm, which caused extensive damage to forests from eastern Ontario to the Canadian Maritimes, led to a variety of economic and ecological questions from governments, concerned publics, and stakeholder groups. Here we outline how the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, working with other organizations, developed short- and longer-term responses to those questions. Efforts have already produced: 1) a low-level aerial survey of forests damaged; 2) extension notes for homeowners, landowners, maple syrup producers, plantation owners, natural resource agencies, and municipalities; 3) information for media and natural resource education groups; 4) standardized techniques and training for assessing damage and making recommendations; 5) literature reviews and synthesis; and 6) management guidelines. In addition, a manipulative experiment in sugar maple stands has been initiated to document: 1) the effects of tapping on sugar maple recovery; 2) the potential of remedial treatments (fertilizer additions alone or in combination) to speed recovery or mitigate further damage; 3) the effects of both damage and potential remedial treatments on sap production; and 4) selected ecological consequences of damage and remedial treatments. Research to examine the effects of damage to woodlots and plantations will: 1) quantify damage in plots representing a variety of forest types, many established and assessed before the storm; 2) examine disease, stain, decay, and insect damage probabilities in broadleaf and conifer stands; 3) document insect responses to damage in red pine plantations; 4) develop economically based decision-support tools for local through regional management decisions, for damaged pine and maple stands; and 5) document the biological and economic consequences of post-damage salvage and "clean-up" operations. To date, science efforts have provided short-term recommendations related to specific stakeholder concerns, while the research will develop new knowledge related to ice damage and potential remedial treatments.