National Trust marks thirty years since the Great Storm
Hundreds of thousands of trees across 3,000 acres of Trust woodland lost in one night Losses included 400-year-old sweet chestnuts and 245-year-old cedar trees Storm was a chance to re-evaluate the way Trust works in the outdoors and manages its woodlands Today the conservation charity works more closely with ecological processes
Three decades on, the effects endure in the landscapes - and memories – of places caught up in the eye of the Great Storm.
Between 2am and 6am on 16 October 1987, winds reaching up to 110mph ripped across the South East, devastating homes, woods and gardens in its path.
For the National Trust, it meant the loss of hundreds of thousands of trees across 3,000 acres of land.
Rangers and gardeners who witnessed the devastation first-hand found it hard to bear.
“It was a battle zone” says gardener Alan Comb. He started work at Emmetts Garden, Kent, a week after the plantsman’s paradise lost 95 per cent of its woodland.
“There were trees sticking up like totem poles”.
Stark statistics
Alan’s tale is echoed across Kent, Sussex and Surrey, home to some of the worst-hit areas.
Toys Hill in Kent, the former home of National Trust founder Octavia Hill, lost 98 per cent of its trees. Fallen timber piled 40 feet high and a 245-year-old Lebanon cedar tree was strewn across the grounds of Petworth, West Sussex.
At Slindon, in the South Downs, near Arundel, the Great Storm brought down a 200-year-old beech grove.
Tom Hill, National Trust Trees & Woodland Officer in the South East, explains “It’s hard to comprehend the scale of the damage. The statistics – though stark - can’t do justice to the heartache of our rangers, gardeners, volunteers and local communities as they woke up to a scene of chaos on 16 October 1987.”
A force of nature
The Great Storm, though devastating, was a natural occurrence – the last of which took place in 1706.
“This is significant” says Tom. “In the time since, we’ve witnessed the natural response to this kind of phenomenon in the way that nature has healed and restored itself, alongside the extensive conservation carried out by our teams.”
The Storm and its aftermath was a chance for the Trust to re-evaluate the way it works in the outdoors and manages its woodlands.
From the wreckage emerged new thinking and lessons that continue to evolve in the charity’s care and conservation work today.
At Toys Hill for example, some of the devastated areas were cleared, others were replanted, following clearance, and a non-intervention zone was left alone to regenerate naturally.
In the untouched areas, trees that seeded naturally were allowed to grow and, in many cases, are developing faster than those that were planted.
Light allowed in by the removal of so much of the canopy caused dormant seeds to burst into life, including native clematis, honeysuckle and heather (unseen in the area for more than a century).
Birds and dormice also benefited in the aftermath. The woodlark and nightjar population increased, and little owls, tawny owls, buzzards, hobbies and sparrow hawks exploited the more open woodland.
Tom continues, “Today, we work more closely with natural ecological processes and, where possible, will allow damaged woodland to regenerate naturally. The National Trust looks after more than 25,000 hectares (62,000 acres) of woodland, 36% of which is in London and the South East, so it’s vital that we continue to evolve our approach to woodland management to help it to thrive.”
A different view
Nature remains a priority for the conservation charity and the National Trust continues to care for landscapes and manage them for people to enjoy too.
New views opened up by the Storm at places like Chartwell and Scotney Castle form the backdrop to countless country walks and picnics.
Fallen trees exposed tree rings hidden for centuries, enabling the Trust to date them and reveal more about the history of the special places in its care.
Work to safeguard their future is underway too. At Emmetts Garden the thinning out of flower beds, over-planted after the Storm, has provided around 1,200 cuttings for the National Trust’s Plant Conservation Centre.
The rare species will be cultivated, used in other gardens and kept as security for years to come.
“It’s the first time in 24 years anything’s gone from us to the centre” says Alan. “Should we lose a plant at Emmetts we’ll always have the original.”
Thirty years on, the determination of people and nature to not only survive but adapt and thrive after the storm endures.
They are watched approvingly by the few trees that pre-date the storm at Chartwell, Kent, rising in silent memorial above the canopy.
ENDS
For more information, case studies and images please contact: Laura Marsh, Marketing and Communications Consultant – [email protected] / 07484 092463
Marking the anniversary of the Great Storm
Kent Remembering the Storm, Scotney Castle Scotney lost four and five-hundred-year-old sweet chestnuts in the storm. Some of those that fell very narrowly missed the house. New displays in the garden will compare the extensive damage with today’s views. Oral interviews and notes from the archive will bring to life the experiences of local people. Throughout October, 10am to 5pm Free event, normal admission applies
Surrey The Great Storm; 30 Years On exhibition, Leith Hill Place A photographic exhibition charts the damage caused at Leith Hill, one of the highest points in the South East and the local area. Friday to Sunday, 6 Oct to 29 Oct, 11am to 5pm Normal admission applies
West Sussex ‘A break in the clouds: emerging from the Great Storm’ exhibition, Nymans A new exhibition at Nymans describes how, when the storm hit, the task ahead seemed impossible, but through hard work and dedication, one of our greatest tragedies at Nymans became our biggest opportunity there. Runs until 19 November, 11am-3.30pm Normal admission applies
Notes to editors
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General information
Most of the storm damage occurred between 2-6 am on the morning of 16 October 1987, with winds reaching up to 110mph. Fifteen million trees were lost across the area affected by the storm Fifty-eight National Trust properties, in thirteen counties, from Blickling Hall in Norfolk to Slindon in West Sussex, were affected by the Great Storm. Chartwell, Emmetts Garden and Toys Hill (all in Kent) were in the eye of the storm More than 350,000 trees were lost on National Trust land in the Great Storm. Thirty- five thousand of these trees were in the Woody Plant Catalogue because of their rarity 1,200 hectares (3,000 acres) of National Trust woodland were affected by the Great Storm Today, the National Trust manages over 25,000 hectares (62,000 acres) of woodland, 36% of which is in London and the South East
Case Studies
Chartwell in Kent - Lost many of its beech trees in the woodland and apple trees in orchards; and the tulip tree in the garden split. The hill behind the house and garden lost most of its trees. It took two and a half years to remedy the effects of the storm at Chartwell and even thirty years on visitors can see how much of the woodland was lost in the Great Storm, with the few trees that pre-date 1987 rising randomly above the others.
Emmetts Garden in Kent - Ninety-five per cent of the surrounding woodland was destroyed which left the garden much more exposed. The property lost trees including: Atlantic cedar, blown over from the lawn outside the mansion; a handkerchief tree was blown over and badly damaged but it was winched upright and is still in situ; a Judas tree was lost and not replaced; and a tulip tree was also lost.
Toys Hill in Kent - this 93 acre woodland is at the highest point in Kent. It lost up to ninety- eight per cent of its trees on the plateau and it was a scene of devastation. Around 90 per cent of the trees that were lost were beech. There has been some natural re-generation of beech but the big winner post 1987 has been the birch. There is also a non-intervention zone at the property which has been left untouched for thirty years and is monitored by Natural England.
Petworth in West Sussex - Oaks, chestnuts, beech, pine and yews were all lost from the Park and Pleasure Ground (approx. 270 mature trees in all). Several record-breaking trees were also lost including a yew and a cedar. Fallen timber piled 40 feet high, including a 245- year-old Lebanon cedar tree.
Approx. 25,000 trees were re-planted at Petworth.
Knole in Kent - Sweet chestnuts and other traditional trees were lost in the storm. As this area of woodland is a Site of Special Scientific Interest most of the trees that fell were left as deadwood, which has had significant benefits for fungi and deadwood.
Nymans Garden in West Sussex - Eighty per cent of the trees in the garden were lost, including the giant monkey puzzle, which symbolised the property to its former owner, Anne Rosse. Twenty out of twenty-eight champion trees were lost and the Pinetum was worst hit taking the brunt of the storm: it lost an outstanding collection of conifers with only its two giant redwoods surviving. In April 1990 the pinetum was replanted with trees propagated from those that fell and restored to its original state.
Scotney Castle in Kent - 400-500 year old sweet chestnuts were lost in the storm. Some of these narrowly missed the house.