American tree farms have been around for nearly seven decades. It all started with the goal of providing forest products in a sustainable manner. Now, tree farming is racing into the future with new techniques and a new attitude.

The difference between tree farms and forests

Mike Dubrasich wrote what he considered a paradigm-shifting book titled, “A Guide to Innovative Tree Farming in the Pacific Northwest.” Among other things, Dubrasich tackles issues facing American tree farms and the process of farming trees in general. 

In a series of blogs discussing his book, the Western Institute for Study of the Environment noted several differences between tree farms and forests:

• Tree farms are structurally different because the trees are all the same age and spaced evenly apart;
• Tree farms have either one or only a few different species of trees;
• When tree farming, the ecology of the site is determined by the grower in respect to the life of the tree, pruning, thinning and harvesting;
• Tree farms serve a different purpose than forests. They are designed as a profitable business, not a natural feature, and;
• Forests and tree farms are not managed in the same way. Tree farm management practices are meant to result in maximum profits. Forests are managed for recreation and preservation or ecology. 

The future of American tree farming

For those considering starting a tree farm, you might be surprised to see the advancements being made in the industry. Check out these super fast growing trees:

How to protect tree farms 

Most government policies exclude standing timber and specifically exclude Christmas trees. Tree farms grow inventory that is uninsured and at risk to natural disasters and things like wildfires. 

Live Asset Insurance is the only source in the country that offers our perils coverage and our limits of protection. Take a look at how important protecting your tree farm can be and the uniqueness of the tree farm insurance we offer.

Hurricane season begins this week and will run from June 1^st to November 30^th with the peak of the hurricane season during the August to October time frame. Still, Mother Nature does not watch the calendar: the first tropical depression had already formed in the Atlantic Ocean last week and, luckily, was deemed no threat to land.

What Causes a Hurricane?

Since most hurricanes are born of tropical storms, one might think that a pre-season storm is an indicator of a rough season, but Tropical Depression One was created at a much higher latitude than many of the truly destructive hurricanes of lore.

The hurricanes that threaten the US coastlines often begin near the African coast. Belts of low air pressure called “easterly waves” occur in the oceanic trade winds. Sometimes, these easterly waves form tropical depressions. The hurricanes are fueled by the heat generated from the condensing water vapors, so when a tropical depression is coupled with sever thunderstorms the meteorologists get nervous!  Vigorous thunderstorm activity in that region early in the season would be one predictor of a rough hurricane season. As the winds increase, the depression can become a tropical storm until the winds speed is over 73 MPH. Then, the hurricane has been formed,  it officially gets a name, drifts west  from its African birthplace on the Trade Winds, and veers north as it meets the prevailing winds coming eastward across North America. 

2009 Hurricane Names according to the National Hurricane Center:

Ana
Bill
Claudette
Danny
Erika
Fred
Grace
Henri
Ida
Joaquin
Kate
Larry
Mindy
Nicholas
Odette
Peter
Rose
Sam
Teresa
Victor
Wanda

New Hurricane Formations?

The first tropical depression of this year, however, formed in a newer atypical hurricane formation pattern. The new pattern defies the one common to most tropical systems. Instead of starting off Africa’s coast; it starts off the U.S. coast in either the Atlantic Ocean or the Gulf of Mexico.  Another thing to blame on overall global warming, as the warm water temperatures could be a key reason why these pop-up storms are occurring and some hurricane forecasters really fear this new hurricane producing pattern may be a  bad sign of things to come.

When a storm comes all the way from Africa, there is time to track and predict the Hurricane’s path.  This also allows people in its path to prepare and evacuate. Storms forming so close to the coastline mean that people might not have that time.

“The caveat is in the Gulf of Mexico in August and October you can have very strong storms form and become severe simply because warm water is there,” said University of Miami Rosensteil School Of Marine and Atmospheric Science professor Nick Shay. “The atmosphere is favorable, and these storms can spin up to category 4 or 5 status.”

Hurricane Humberto in 2007 is a classic example of this sudden storm. It formed and intensified off Texas faster than any tropical storm on record. In just one day it grew from a disturbance to a full blown category one hurricane. It ended up causing $50 million in damage.

Bottom Line of Hurricane Safety: Prepare!

No matter what causes a hurricane, they are extremely destructive forces of nature.  And now is their season. Right now it is just a benign list of names and there is no sign of who will be this year’s Katrina or Ike or Andrew.

It could be Ana or Ida or perhaps it’s Rose who we will have to watch out for. Only Mother Nature knows.

David J. Teed, CIC, Managing Director of Live Asset Insurance, is pleased to be recognized by the prestigious MarketScout “Insurance Voice” Newsletter. Teed states “Market Scout only chooses industry experts based upon their technical acumen and the competitiveness of the Insurance Company they represent”.

MarketScout is the largest and most successful Insurance exchange in the United States. Their mission is to look for the most qualified company in a particular coverage or industry class thereby making available a true “best in class” venue for the over 60,000 insurance professionals that are listed as users of the MarketScout Insurance exchange.

Teed adds; “There is no other Private Insurance Company in the United States providing named perils coverage for Live Assets: trees, shrubs, vines and flowers, with limits to $10,000,000 per policy. Being recognized as a “best in class” insurance provider brings credibility and distinction to an often skeptical insurance marketplace”.

We will be posting a monthly newsletter and keeping you up to date on what is happening around the Live Asset Insurance Industry. 

 We look forward to hearing from you.

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