Recovery programme for forests damaged by Storm Darragh moves to next phase

Natural Resources Wales (NRW)  is moving into the next phase of its long-term programme to harvest and replant areas of forests across south-west Wales affected  by Storm Darragh in December 2024.

More than 650 hectares of forest, the equivalent of around 900 football fields, were damaged by the storm’s 90mph winds, and recovery is expected to take three to five years. Across Wales, the damage spanned 2,500 hectares.

Some 200 hectares of fallen trees have already been brought into NRW’s timber harvesting and sales programme, so that the wood can be used rather than wasted. Plans are now in place for the remaining 450 hectares, with the work being carefully phased so local timber businesses are not overwhelmed.

The programme is carefully designed to balance safety, conservation, and timber market stability, ensuring that recovery is sustainable and does not overwhelm local supply chains.

Every harvesting site is being assessed for wildlife, heritage features, and hazards before work begins. Operations may be delayed by breeding seasons, poor weather, or contractor availability, but safety and sustainability remain NRW’s top priorities.

The on-going recovery is being led by a small but dedicated team of forestry and land management colleagues. Together, they manage 10,900 hectares of forest across south-west Wales.

Ellen Humphrey, Senior Forest Operations Officer, of NRW, said:

“The scale of the damage has been devastating for us here in south-west Wales. As a team we are facing a huge task as the amount of windblow is around four times our annual harvesting programme and each new storm is causing more windblow.

“We know that the windblow is restricting recreational access in forests and this is impacting local communities and visitors. We are prioritising recreational sites and windblow adjacent to property where we can. Unfortunately, due to the scale of the windblow, it is going to take years to clear it all.”

Storm Darragh uprooted and snapped trees across Brechfa, Caio and Cwm Rhaeadr forests.

In the immediate aftermath, NRW’s land management team cleared 35 km of blocked forest roads and trails, repaired damaged fences with landowners, and mapped windblown areas to prepare for harvesting.

Phil Morgan, Land Management Team Leader for southwest, of NRW, said:

“Alongside harvesting, we’re focused on keeping people safe and protecting the special sites in our care. That means checking every area for wildlife, heritage features, and hazards before work begins.

“We understand the disruption this storm has caused, and we’re grateful to the public for bearing with us as we balance recovery of our forests alongside our day‑to‑day responsibilities across the wider Welsh Government Woodland Estate.”

To keep local communities and visitors updated, two drop‑in sessions will be held where people can meet the NRW team, ask questions, view maps and see for themselves the scale of the recovery programme in place to clear the damage.

Drop-in session details:

• Thursday, 5 March, 1-5pm, at Pumsaint Hall, SA19 8US, covering Caio and Cwm Rhaeadr forests,
• Friday, 6 March, 1-5pm, at Brechfa Hall, SA32 7RA, covering Brechfa Forest

For more information on the recovery programme and maps of affected areas, visit: https://bit.ly/StormDarraghRecovery