Jennifer Stillabower's 25-foot cypress took a major hit, and a bunch of 6-foot junipers were totally smashed. "I have more cleanup than I ever thought possible," she says.
But Stillabower, who lives on 11/4 partially wooded acres in Wilmington, plans to put the destruction to constructive use. Once the ruined trees and widowed branches are cut up and removed, she'll add them to a brush pile in the woods that provides shelter and food for wildlife.
"I'm a big believer in providing habitat," says Stillabower, who was so concerned about birds during the storms, she dug a trench through the snow to her bird feeder so she could keep it filled with seeds.
That's the sort of ingenuity Drew Gilchrist likes to see.
As director of the Center for Conservation Landowners of the Natural Lands Trust in Media, Gilchrist's mission is to encourage homeowners to create "safe havens and corridors" for native wildlife in the Philadelphia area. That includes Schwenksville, where he lives on four acres surrounded by 600 more that are wooded and preserved.
Turns out, Gilchrist has a brush pile, too. "It's a wonderful thing for wildlife," he says.
Brush piles offer cover for chipmunks, rabbits, and birds. Insects, which feed many creatures, make cavities in the rotting wood, which in turn draws frogs.
Gilchrist suggests putting the pile on the edge of the woods, placing larger branches on the bottom and smaller ones on top. It's more visually appealing and "the smaller brush acts like a roof. This way, the pile won't collapse on itself," he says.
And don't worry about attracting termites or large animals. "These creatures are not to be feared. These are not things that will attack you or your house," Gilchrist says.
