Simulation and decision-making tools for forest storm risk: advances across disciplines

Severe storms Martin (1999) and Klaus (2009) in southwestern France highlighted the need to improve forest resilience to wind damage. This article synthesizes progress since 2009 across three disciplines: large-scale atmospheric turbulence modeling to capture realistic wind–canopy interactions; mechanistic modeling of tree root anchorage to simulate sequential root failure during windthrow, informed by field-based root architecture data; and hybrid statistical/mechanistic models that integrate canopy, soil, and wind interaction knowledge for stand- and landscape-level risk evaluation. These integrated tools support forest management and planning to mitigate storm impacts.