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Tips from an OPPD forester can help your trees survive storm damage

Southeast Nebraskans were heartbroken when they saw the extensive tree devastation caused by the July 31 windstorm.

Winds up to 90 mph uprooted trees and split trees apart, leaving jagged branches pointing here and there. Limbs fell onto homes, cars, fences and power equipment, resulting in 220,000 OPPD customers losing power, the most-ever in OPPD’s 78-year history.

“That storm was not discriminate,” said OPPD senior forester Mike Norris. “If there was any weakness at all in a tree or shrub, it probably was impacted.”

As Norris drove around the city surveying the damage, he observed a lot of dense evergreen trees ripped from the ground and badly splintered trees.

He noted many of these damaged trees had poor crotches (the point where limbs connect with each other or the trunk), likely because they hadn’t been properly trimmed. Other trees toppled because they were weakened from disease, insect infestation, animals or previous damage from storms. Some were overgrown, and others simply not strong enough yet to withstand the force.

The storm serves as a reminder of the importance of trees and their routine maintenance.

Why the tree focus?

For more than 50 years, OPPD has made tree education a priority.

• Trees play a critical role in keeping our environment clean and healthy.
• Properly planted trees can improve energy efficiency and save on energy costs.
• Improperly planted trees can interfere with electrical equipment, causing power outages, as the July 2024 proved.

Trees beautify landscapes and provide numerous benefits. They come in many shapes and sizes, providing an array of textures, colors, foliage, fruits and aromas.

When properly cared for, some trees can last centuries. In fact, Rocky Mountain junipers growing in the Wildcat Hills near Scottsbluff are estimated to be over 800 years old, according to the Nebraska Statewide Arboretum. Some oaks in the state, they say, date back more than 400 years.

OPPD’s Norris shares some tree tips to help keep your trees around longer.

Plant the right tree in the right place

One of the most important messages OPPD foresters share is planting the right tree in the right place, Norris said.

“It is crucial to plant trees that will grow well in their environment, fit within the landscape and not interfere with power lines or other structures,” said Norris, adding that it is equally important for homeowners and developers.

One of the most frequent mistakes people make is not matching the available space to the proper tree. Before you plant, know what the tree will look like at full maturity and find out the space its roots will require.

According to the Arbor Day Foundation, a proper landscape plan takes each tree into consideration based on the following: height; canopy; spread; form or shape; growth rate; soil, sun and moisture; fruit; hardiness zone; and whether the tree is deciduous or evergreen.

Careful positioning away from power lines helps reduce power outages and the need for costly tree trimming or removal as the tree matures.

In the infographic below, Norris provides the following guides for planting near distribution lines, which are the lower lines that typically run through neighborhoods.

• Small trees (10-20 feet tall) can be planted adjacent to lines
• Medium trees (25-40 feet tall) should be planted no closer than 30 feet horizontally to lines
• Large trees (50-80 feet tall) should be planted no closer than 50 feet horizontally to lines

He also recommends some tree species that do well in the region that includes OPPD’s service district. Among his recommendations: dogwood and magnolia (small trees), maple and redbud (medium), and birch, catalpa, gingko and oak (large).

Consider tree diversity

Tree diseases and infestations can devastate tree populations, and that’s why Norris and others advocate for tree diversity.

The invasive Emerald Ash borer showed up in Nebraska in 2016, targeting millions of ash trees. The pests destroy tissue within the tree that transports water and nutrients. Weakened trunks eventually snap near the base, and trees crash down onto whatever’s nearby – including power lines.

“We are seeing more and more ash trees die,” said Norris. “We continue to urge people to monitor their ash trees because when they die, they die quickly. They are dangerous to climb and pose hazards of falling limbs over homes, sidewalks or streets.

See tree varieties at OPPD arboretum

In 2004, OPPD opened a 26-acre arboretum at 108^th and Blondo streets in Omaha. The site, developed over a 15-year period from 1989 to 2004, contains more than a thousand trees and shrubs of various species and educational signage on several topics. Open daily from dawn to dusk, it has become a great resource.

Norris encourages people to go to the arboretum when considering planting a tree or doing other landscaping work.

OPPD’s arboretum has many examples of deciduous trees, which produce leaves in the spring and can provide cooling shade, and evergreen trees, which can serve as windbreaks that buffer your home from cold wind. Most trees at the arboretum have markers that indicate the tree name and size at maturity.

“People can see for themselves what the trees will look like fully grown,” Norris said.

Locate underground utilities before digging

Before starting any project that requires you to dig into the ground, such as planting a tree, you need to have underground utility lines located and marked.

“It’s actually the law, and it was enacted for the safety of the public and utility workers,” said Norris.

This can be done in one easy step.

Nebraska 811 is a statewide, one-call notification center that links people who plan to excavate or dig with the owners of any underground facilities located on their property. Simply dialing 811 or connecting via Nebraska 811 mobile app allows you to submit, monitor and manage your request.

Tips for maintaining trees

If you have trees, pruning and trimming both should be done routinely to promote good health.

Pruning removes broken or damaged branches, including dead or rubbing limbs, to expose more sunlight and improve air circulation. Trimming cuts overgrowth on plants to keep them looking neat.

Large pruning or trimming projects should be done by licensed arborists. If done improperly, trees can be damaged. The Nebraska Forest Service offers these tree care tips.

OPPD contractors do routine tree trimming for reliability on trees near power lines.  They trim and remove trees that interfere with, or have potential to interfere with, existing power lines or that obstruct the route of new lines.

According to Norris, the utility uses the following criteria to determine when and where tree trimming is done: reports of outages caused by trees, areas where trees have suffered damage from storms, during routine circuit maintenance, during periodic inspections by OPPD personnel and following reports from customers indicating potential tree or power line issues.

OPPD tree contractors remove branches and wood in these instances, but they do not remove stumps. It’s homeowner’s responsibility to remove storm-damage tree debris

Plant trees to save on energy costs

Properly placed trees – and shrubs — can help reduce home heating and cooling costs.

• To cool in the summer, a deciduous tree can provide maximum shade, help ease the load on your air conditioner and substantially reduce home-cooling costs. The list of popular shade trees includes maple, oak, hackberry and sycamore. These trees lose their leaves in the fall, allowing the sun to help warm your home during the winter months.
• To keep cold air out in the winter, evergreen trees make ideal windbreaks. They can effectively protect your home from blustery winter wind, shield outside work areas, and help reduce heating costs. Windbreaks may be planted in a straight row or in a semi-circular pattern on the upwind side of the house, to block prevailing winds.