The National Trust has expressed concern about the future of its gardens, parks and woodlands as the UK continues to face extreme weather conditions. The conservation charity said its rangers and gardeners are poised for the threat of further damage from storms.
Luke Barley, the National Trust’s senior national consultant for trees and woodland, voiced his worries about the impact of frequent storms on trees. He said: “In our management of both woods and ancient trees, we are worried about the impact of experiencing more storms when the trees are in leaf and catch the wind more, potentially causing more damage than these important habitats and trees can sustain.”
He added that the past year has seen the most named storms since the naming system began in 2015, and that the effects of this increase in severe weather events are unavoidable. Mr Barley added: “The constant alternation between extreme waterlogging and drought in the soil stresses trees, and we see the signs of this effect on their rooting environment everywhere in reduced health in their crowns.”
However, he also pointed out that storm damage in native woods is a “natural process” and can create “some of the chaotic, thrilling dynamism that much woodland wildlife needs to survive”. After the UK experienced a wetter spring and cooler summer than usual, there looks to be a “mixed bag” of autumnal displays this year.
Pamela Smith, senior national consultant for gardens and parklands at the National Trust, said: “As the predictability of weather patterns continues to alter due to a changing climate, the timings of a traditional autumn with its colourful canopy displays become less certain.
“We’ve seen a real mixed bag of conditions so far this year – particularly the soggy start, but if we see a gradual drop in temperature along with more settled weather, we could expect to see a drawn-out display. However, if we get sharp, hard frosts or see further wet weather with storms, heavy rain and wind roll across the UK, that may cut any extended show short.”
Elsewhere this year, the conservation charity warned weather conditions have proved troubling for traditional autumn vegetable harvests. To mitigate the growing challenges, arborists at some National Trust estates, such as Chirk Castle near Wrexham, have been carrying out conservation pruning on vulnerable veteran and ancient trees to reduce carefully their crown and make them less likely to fall or break in higher winds.
Similar steps are being taken at Oxburgh Estate in Norfolk, where woodland planting is being adjusted to withstand high winds. With extreme weather events becoming more frequent, National Trust gardens, including Sheffield Park in East Sussex, are actively planning to protect their autumnal displays for years to come, as the charity stresses the importance of future-proofing these collections.
Ms Smith added: “No matter how this season unfolds, we are already seeing signs that things are getting under way around the country, whether that’s in a city, town or in the countryside.” The charity said it has seen birch, beech, lime, red maples, acers, azaleas, copper and sweet gum trees starting to turn into shades of gold, orange, yellow and red across its sites.