New Forest trees count the cost of months of storms

The recent storms have resulted in widespread damage to many of the trees in the New Forest, with experts busy dealing with the damage.

The authority's senior tree officer Bryan Wilson said his team had issued 160 notices for urgent work in just four months.

During the same period last year it issued 30 notices.

"This is extreme weather by anybody’s terms and a succession of storms with strong winds and continued rainfall has been going on since October with hardly any respite," said Bryan Wilson.

"It is worse than we had even in 1987 and 1990 storms."

The New Forest telephone advice line has been ringing more or less continuously over the last few weeks with requests from anxious landowners seeking help and advice about trees.

"One of the differences between this and the '87 storm is that most of the deciduous trees were still in leaf when that storm hit, so at this time of year there is less likelihood of a whole deciduous tree going over," Bryan Wilson said.

"However we have particularly seen conifers badly affected, such as a Scots pine snapped in half 25ft up in the middle of a row of trees."

He said the New Forest had the greatest concentration of ancient and veteran trees in western Europe.

★
★
★
★
★
Votes: 0
E-mail me when people leave their comments –

You need to be a member of Landscape Juice Network to add comments!

Join Landscape Juice Network

Open forum activity

PGM replied to Mjc's discussion Battery secateurs
"Currently thinking of getting some myself. The Kebtec ones are well reviewed by various gardeners on YouTube, but then so many of them get sent stuff for free it's hard to believe everything they say. I heard the Stiga ones were pretty good too.…"
5 minutes ago
Mjc posted a discussion
Good morning. Thinking of getting some battery secateurs, initially for my wife as she has some arthritis. Have any of you tried and tested any ?  Prob looking at Stihl but then came across Kebtec which I've never heard of before, or maybe Makita…
58 minutes ago
Piers Dixon replied to Piers Dixon's discussion Advertising garden maintenance services
"Thanks for your response. Have you actually tried this??"
23 hours ago
trimmora updated their profile
yesterday
Fusion Media posted a blog post
After 26 years at Radley College, Adam King has seen grounds management evolve dramatically. Weather patterns have become less predictable, playing surfaces are under greater pressure than ever, and flexibility has become one of the most valuable…
yesterday
Fusion Media posted a blog post
GroundsFest has welcomed Christina Walker to its sales team as preparations continue for the 2027 exhibition.Christina joins the award-winning team with an extensive background in publishing and exhibitions spanning more than two decades. She began…
Friday
Fusion Media posted a blog post
When freezing temperatures threaten the pitches at Forest Green Rovers FC, speed is everything. Protecting the stadium and training ground with frost covers can be a race against the weather, but thanks to Kress battery-powered blowers, the club's…
Thursday
Fusion Media posted a blog post
The GroundsFest Academy has confirmed TLS as its newest Platinum Sponsor, adding further industry strength to the Academy's range of sponsors and partners as it continues to expand its training offering for the groundscare sector. The sponsorship…
Thursday
Peter sellers replied to William Baker's discussion Winter Services
"Hi William, I would avoid working as a sub contractor if you can. Yes they will not pay a realistic rate as they will try to keep their profit as high as poss, in my experience getting paid was always an issue. We had a long and profitable…"
Wednesday
Billybop replied to William Baker's discussion Winter Services
"Thanks William, yes a bit like being a retained fire fighter I suppose. Monthly payments for a 12 month contract, knowing that worst case scenario only 6 months or so might require visits. Which could be very few and far between, or more numerous…"
Wednesday
William Baker replied to William Baker's discussion Winter Services
"Hi Richard, thank you for your reply. I've not approached either of these companies as yet, would you suggest Outco and Nurture are good companies to contact, and do you have any experience with either?"
Tuesday
William Baker replied to William Baker's discussion Winter Services
"Hi Peter, thank you very much for such a detailed response, and I'm sorry to hear of your ill health, I do hope you are well. Both of my existing clients that I'm looking to bring on board should be manageable, so they can hopefully help me to dip…"
Tuesday
William Baker replied to William Baker's discussion Winter Services
"Hi Billy, that's a really good idea, even if the contracts are a mix of 'subsciption' and ad-hoc, it at least covers the expense in a worst case scenario. "
Tuesday
Billybop replied to Rob's discussion Best professional battery hedge trimmer at present?
"Hi Tim i wear basic disposable ear plugs with either model if using for any extended period... not so much the volume per se, but it takes the edge off that irritating metallic sound... I think these are being sold for below cost, but heart warming…"
Tuesday
Tim Wallach replied to Rob's discussion Best professional battery hedge trimmer at present?
"My 130T arrived and was tested today.   It certainly runs fast...the high motor noise is slightly irritating compared to the rumble of the 130R though.  I've got used to working without ear defenders.    Planet tool owe you a finders fee."
Tuesday
Matt updated their profile
Nov 1
More…

Battery secateurs

Good morning. Thinking of getting some battery secateurs, initially for my wife as she has some arthritis. Have any of you tried and tested any ?  Prob looking at Stihl but then came across Kebtec which I've never heard of before, or maybe Makita…

Read more…
1 Reply · Reply by PGM 5 minutes ago
Views: 9