Wind is a major disturbance agent in forests and a key part of the dynamics of many forest ecosystems, particularly temperate forests. Therefore, to understand how forest ecosystem function, and to gain insight into the structure
of forests and the evolutionary processes at work, we need to understand the mechanisms and occurrence of wind damage. In addition, the high levels of damage that can occur in storms have important economic, environmental and social consequences, particularly for managed forests. For example, in Europe more than half of all the damage
to forests by volume is due to wind and there is a worrying increasing trend in damage levels. Understanding the process of wind interactions with forests, the impact of forest damage, the potential for preventive responses, and the prospects for the future are therefore important for people engaged in the forest based economy, for forest ecologists, for regional planners, and for anyone concerned with the continued sustainability of forests and the forestry sector.
