After the December storms that battered the UK, I walked through some favourite trails near my home in West Wales. These trails and paths meander in, near, and through valleys that are dense with woodlands, and where the aftermath of the storms was stark—fallen trees littered the landscape, even in sheltered areas.
Tree storm damage is a visible reminder of our environment’s challenges. It also raises questions about balancing loss and restoration.
Recent Notable Storms: A Closer Look at Their Impact
Storm Ciara (February 2020)
Ciara swept through Europe with winds exceeding 60mph, leaving extensive flooding and damage. Two lives were lost in the UK due to falling trees.
Storm Arwen (November 2021)
With gusts reaching 98mph, Arwen devastated northern England, toppling thousands of trees unprepared for unusual northerly winds. This storm also caused the loss of hundreds of grey seal pups along the North Sea coast.
Storm Eunice (February 2022)
Breaking records with 122mph gusts at The Needles, Isle of Wight, Eunice caused widespread disruption, including damage to the lion enclosure at Africa Alive! in Suffolk after a tree fell on the enclosure.
Storm Darragh (December 2024)
A rare red alert in Wales and south-west England warned of 90mph winds, power outages, and uprooted trees. Tornadoes, reported in Kidsgrove and Wakefield, were responsible for felling 150 trees.
How Many Trees Do Storms Bring Down?
Although precise figures are hard to come by, significant storms can bring down millions of trees. For example, when the Great Storm of 1987 hit the UK, it pummelled Greater London, Kent, the East Anglian coast, and the Home Counties, toppling 15 million trees.
Less than 40 years later, in 2022, a particularly severe winter saw 8 million trees come down across the UK.
The UK is home to an estimated 3 billion trees. Millions are being lost to storms, others to end of life, and others to industrial logging; we’ll reach a deficit. Yes, there may be a lot of trees, but if they’re not mature, how efficient can they be sequestering carbon and rehousing biodiversity?
Big storms and the effects they bear are putting strain on the UK’s woodlands.
Are We Planting Enough to Keep Up?
In 2023, the UK planted approximately 12,960 hectares of new woodland—about 25.6 million trees. This is less than half the government’s target of 30,000 hectares per year by 2025. Compared to the 8 million trees lost due to 2022’s winter storms, it’s clear that progress is being made, but the pace of planting struggles to keep ahead of losses caused by storms, logging, and natural attrition.
A Balancing Act
For every step forward, it can feel like we take one step back. Still, there’s an opportunity here to make a difference. Supporting reforestation projects, advocating for resilient woodland management, and creating greener spaces can help ensure our landscapes thrive despite the challenges.
Protect Earth has planted more than 100,000 saplings, establishing miles of hedgerows and acres of woodlands since we launched in 2020.
As we grow, mature, and look at all the areas contributing to biodiversity in the UK and what’s happening to it, we are adding more to what we do: invasive species removal and riparian restoration, to name a few. Our latest project near Bath along the Avon River will see us extend an established woodland, adding a mix of new woodland and wetland.
Please support us and help move the needle on greening the UK.