I had planned to focus on water quality this month and how loggers have contributed to improving our water resources, but that discussion will have to wait. Northern lower Michigan has just endured an unprecedented disaster that will take years to recover from.
On April 28th and 29th, 2025, two nights of relentless rain and freezing temperatures dropping to 18 degrees led to catastrophic destruction of our forests. Reports indicated ice accumulations of up to an inch and a half, and as the storm raged, trees snapped constantly. When I stepped outside for a few minutes, the sound was deafening like the opening day of deer season. Except this time, there were thousands more "hunters" who could not hit the broad side of a barn, and countless 30-point bucks roaming everywhere.
The scale of devastation hit me hard. Standing there, surrounded by the relentless cracking and crashing of falling trees, I found myself tearing up, overwhelmed not by what I saw, but by what I heard. The destruction was everywhere, and Saturday was only the beginning. Trees continued to fall until Wednesday. In fact, by Sunday evening, the maple tree I had stood next to had come crashing down onto my house.
Sunday morning, chainsaw in hand, I set out for my grandfather’s house and only then did I truly grasp the extent of the damage. A trip that normally took me 15 minutes stretched into an hour and a half as downed trees and power lines blocked the roads. Passing a gas station, I noticed a long line of vehicles, not realizing at first that they were all waiting for fuel.
Monday morning, I left early for the American Loggers Council Fly-In, still unaware of just how widespread the devastation was. News was slow to travel. Our modern communication systems had failed. TV and radio stations were down, along with power, internet, landlines, and cell service. The press has attempted to estimate the number of acres affected by this unprecedented ice storm, but the truth is, no one really knows. The damage is difficult to assess from the air, and vast areas remain inaccessible.
Preliminary estimates suggest around one million acres of state land and two hundred million acres of private land may have been affected. The challenge in determining the exact impact lies in the storm’s pattern. The Damage is widespread but highly irregular. One of the hardest hit areas visually is the stretch along I-75 between Gaylord and Vanderbilt, where residents endured 20 days without power.
Near this area, I surveyed a landowner’s 330-acre property. Forty acres of oak had been completely wiped out and will need to be clear-cut to start over. The remainder of the property suffered roughly 10 percent damage.
The DNR has just begun sending out bids for salvage, but they are late to the game. Most loggers interested in harvesting storm-damaged timber have already started, with some private property owners bringing in loggers within the first week of the disaster. Initially, the DNR prioritized reopening roads essential for wildfire protection, as well as those needed by fisheries to stock their waters. Currently, their focus has shifted to putting up red pine salvage sales at a scale rate.
Regarding damaged timber sales already purchased, loggers will need to contact their local unit manager. GLTPA has been assured by the DNR that unit managers are willing to negotiate and would prefer timber sale purchasers to retain their sales. However, each sale will be handled on a case-by-case basis.
Feel free to contact me if you're experiencing any issues. More information can be found in the “Timber Buyer Ice Storm Letter” sent to the DNR’s stumpage purchasers.
The aftermath of this storm will be felt for years to come, reshaping both our forests and the industries that rely on them. In twenty years, we could very well face a shortage of Red Pine, a lasting reminder of the destruction we’ve endured. The resilience of our communities, loggers, and landowners will be tested as we navigate the challenges ahead. But as always, we will push forward working together to restore what was lost, salvage what can be saved, and ensure the long-term health of our forests for generations to come.
Mike Elenz
GLTPA President