Wolf said that people develop a place attachment to elements in their outdoor environment that result in feelings bordering on grieving when they are lost. She said many cities are beginning to take this into account during planning.
Local institutions with leafy lawns faced destruction of both property and history. Kentucky School for the Deaf has maintained a heavily foliated campus through many stages of expansion and construction.
"We had a large, old tree fall on the roof New Lee Hall, but we can patch that puncture in the roof," said KSD campus manager Bill Melton. "But we also had a tree fall on one of our fence posts that I'm not sure we can replace."
Melton has been consulting old photographs of the campus to get a clearer idea of what things looked like before the storm.
Safety concerns
Looking out the window of his office in Jacob Hall, he lamented the site of a fractured magnolia tree that can be seen in decades old black and white pictures.
However, he insists that safety concerns now trump thoughts of beautifying the campus.
"We will have to consult an arborist about the best plan for what to do now. This has definitely made us think harder about what we need to do with our larger trees.
As the winter gives way to the planting season, decisions will have to be made about how and whether to replace damaged trees.
Tree professionals urge those looking to replant to be conscientious with their landscaping choices.
Harder, slower growing trees, like oaks and walnuts tend to fare better, while softer, faster growing trees like maples and many ornamental species are less durable.
While some will embrace the chance at renewal, many are ready to surrender altogether and get rid of anything that could fall on homes or power lines in the future.
Randy Tate of Danville hired Carney to a remove a 70-foot tall water maple that was damaged in the storm and he believes was too close to his house.
"It was here when I moved and I liked the look of it at the time," he said. "But I am not sorry to see it go. It is a relief to have it out of here."
Carney said that the storm served as a stark reminder that what is beautiful can cause considerable harm.
"People have come to a realization that a 50,000-pound tree is lovely, but it can hurt them. I think that will make people think a lot harder about what and where they plant."
Carmicle-Rabich said that there is an opportunity now to make good decisions that will determine how another ice storm could affect the area.
"This would be a really good time to fix the mistakes of the past," she said. "In populated areas it obviously takes people to make sure that trees don't grow back somewhere they shouldn't."
