Thousands of Trees Remain Standing After Hurricane Sandy

Countless trees remained standing after a thoroughly ventilating evening with Hurricane Sandy. Given all the storms in recent years, any tree still upright has veteran status, toughened by repeated buffeting.

Particularly successful at staying upright were trees that presented a slimmed down profile, like the Kentucky Coffee Trees silhouetted against the sky in this photo.

Trees burdened with leaves or needles, like this spruce tree

and Norway maples, presented more resistance to the wind and so did not fare as well. It's useful to compare a fully foliated tree trying to hold steady in the hurling air current of a hurricane to a fully clothed person trying to swim.

Nassau Street lost a few more oaks, particularly those whose roots had been confined by the surrounding pavement.

The hurricane also proved all too savvy at ferreting out the more rickety fences.

Can't remember ever seeing siding stripped off by wind before.

With the morning-after all drizzle, generator din and plant protoplasm splattered on the asphalt, my daughter lightened the mood by suggesting there should be yoga for trees.

That was one heck of a yoga session Sandy just put Princeton's trees through.