NY Times reports today (International News, Section A, PP 1 & 12) that the storm which recently cut across Europe felled 10,000 trees in the Royal Garden at Versailles; 70,000 of the 300,000 trees in two Paris parks (that's 23%!); and 3,000 trees elsewhere in Paris.

Try nytimes.com if you don't have access to print version.

Reply to post by Scott Cullen, on December 28, 1999 at 16:10:25:

Reports were that the storm was worse in Germany and Austria. Paris reported winds to 98 mph, Germany recorded about 120 mph, and Austria came in with 134 mph gusts. Sounds like a lot of timber on the ground right now.

THat's one large tree failure research lab.

Reply to post by Scott Cullen, on December 28, 1999 at 16:10:25:

You are right, It was roughly equivalent to the 1987 Hurricane in south west England.

EDF the main utility has 2,000,000 customers off line and has had to import English utility workers to assist in restoration of power which will take at least another 10-days. No doubt the Brits will work faster as they are fed on British Beef!!

I was in France last summer and looked at some of EDF's problems. They system is old in places and the tree management is not existent or primative at best. This storm took out the large steel pylons not by trees but by wind speed. Shows two things, 1. the wids were strong and 2. the pylons were old.

Unlike you guys in the US of A, we do not normally get such high winds over here. Therefore, when they do happen once in 20 years no one is prepared.

South western Ireland had problems also from the same weather front, but this was mostly flooding etc.

The clean up is ongoing, but it will take time.

I agree with Russ, its one big tree failure Lab. I hope the French Forestry guys take advantage like the UK Forestry Commission did in '87 and produce a similar book on root plates and failure patterns.

Dealga