GRAND RIVERS, Ky. (AP) - A U.S. Forest Service official says as much as 10,000 acres of the heavily wooded Land Between the Lakes public forest may have been severely damaged by the January ice storm.
Trent Girard, leader of a U.S. Forest Service team assessing damage in the forest, says the northern end of the peninsular public area got the worst of the damage.
The Paducah Sun reports that some concerns about the ice storm damange include potential access issues, weakening of trees' resistance to insect attack and potential of fire danger because of broken limbs drying and deteriorating on the forest floor.
But LBL spokeswoman Kathryn Harper says on the plus side, the downed limbs could be benefiting wildlife foraging at ground level, as well as allowing in more sunlight to spur the new growth of oak and hickory trees.
