Most of us don’t appreciate trees until they’re gone, said Krista Harding, horticulture agent with the Southwind Extension District.
A drought that has extended more than a year is taking a significant toll on trees. The effects can be seen throughout the county. Just take a drive through a town or even the countryside, and you’ll see dead, brown foliage.
“Now that everything has leafed out, it’s more dramatic to see the number of trees we’ve lost,” Harding said. “It’s really taken a toll.”
Early warning signs came late last summer, especially affecting a type of hedge tree called the emerald green arborvitae. The tree is especially popular in urban areas so the rows of unsightly brown foliage was especially notable. Maple trees also showed signs of struggle because of drought.
Fast forward about a year, and the damage is more widespread and affecting numerous species.
“I haven’t seen as much damage in Bourbon County as I’ve seen in Allen and Neosho,” Harding noted.
“It’s not just young trees. They’re big, mature trees.”
Just last week, Harding took a call from someone who thought she could save a maple tree that had leafed out this spring but then took a turn for the worse.
“I told her the tree was actually dead. It had enough energy to put out a few leaves but not enough to sustain them.”
As of Wednesday morning, Iola was 6.07 inches short of normal precipitation levels for this point in the year. For the past 12 months, the area is nearly 20 inches short of normal levels. Southeast Kansas has faced the worst of the drought this past year, with Sedan, near the Oklahoma border, reporting the biggest deficit of 23.16 inches.
Rain and thunderstorms are in the forecast for the next week or so, which could ease the pressure. The National Weather Service in Wichita reported drought conditions have improved but much of the state remains in at least extreme drought conditions. An El Nino weather pattern this summer and fall could turn things around, with below average temperatures and above average precipitation possible.
But for many trees, it’s already too late.
“A lot of times, people think a tree is going to come back. But if they don’t have leaves on them at this point, they’re dead,” Harding said.
TREES provide numerous benefits, according to reports from the National Extension Council and USDA.
Trees absorb carbon dioxide and remove hazardous pollutants from the air.
They control stormwater runoff and reduce the risk of flooding. Rainfall slows as it falls through a leafy canopy, providing more time for water to infiltrate the soil.
