March Ice Storm Damages 920,000 Acres of State Forestland in Michigan

Aerial images reveal extensive damage to state forests in Northern Michigan following a severe ice storm in March, MLive reported (4-13-25).

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources’ Forest Resources Division estimates that approximately 919,500 acres (372,100 hectares) were affected. The state forest is the largest undeveloped contiguous block of land in the Lower Peninsula.

Jeff Stampfly, Chief of the Forest Resources Division, said, “I’ve worked for the state for 39 years, and I’ve never seen anything quite like this.”

Footage showed a red pine plantation reduced to stick-like remnants after the storm snapped the treetops off hundreds of trees. Before salvage and replanting efforts can begin, forestry officials must assess how many contracted timber sales were affected.

“Salvaged timber doesn’t get the same price that standing would have,” Stampfly told MLive. “[Timber] that was worth so many dollars the day before this storm is now automatically worth less because of the damage. We’re going to try to salvage everything we can, but we’ll never get it all.”

With large amounts of timber now on the ground, officials are also warning of an increased wildfire risk this spring and summer as downed branches and treetops dry out.

“I urge caution with debris burning because a lot of people are going to do it and it’s very easy for stuff to spread this year,” Stampfly added. “If it goes like we hope there will be a lot of logging activity in and around state land and probably going to see that on private land, too.”