Storm Darragh recovery: south-west harvesting and replanting programme

Overview

On 7 December 2024, Storm Darragh caused major windblow across south-west Wales, damaging over 650 hectares of trees.

Natural Resources Wales (NRW) is now leading a phased recovery programme to harvest and replant affected areas over the next three to five years.

Key Updates

• 200 hectares of windblown timber is already incorporated into harvesting operations.
• The remaining 450 hectares are scheduled for phased harvesting.
• Recovery will take three to five years, depending on weather, conservation, and contractor availability.
• Safety, conservation, and sustainability guide every decision

Community drop-in sessions

We are holding two community drop-in sessions for residents, community groups and forest users to learn more about our recovery plans.

Maps, proposed timescales, and details of environmental considerations will be available, and NRW officers will be on hand to answer questions.

• 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

If you are unable to attend the drop-in sessions but would like to provide feedback or ask a question, please answer our short survey. Scroll down to and click 'share your views'. 

What’s Next? Harvesting and replanting

We’ve already started harvesting windblown areas. Because we don’t have in-house harvesting teams, we sell parcels of timber on the open market and then oversee the work with buyers and contractors.

So far, 200 hectares have been added to our harvesting programme, and we’ve mapped out the order of work for the remaining 450 hectares. Each parcel will be sold and harvested in turn until all windblown trees are cleared.

This recovery will take around 3–5 years, though progress will depend on challenges such as weather, access, and conservation checks.

Challenges we face

Clearing up the damage from Storm Darragh is a huge job, and there are many obstacles along the way:

• Scale of the task: with over 650 hectares of windblow, harvesting has to be spread out over several years.
• Safety: we can’t run harvesting operations side by side at the same time because of health and safety risks to staff and contractors.
• Timber market: we need to avoid releasing too much timber for sale at once, which could flood the market.
• Poor access: some damaged areas don’t have suitable entrances or roads. New tracks and upgrades must be built before harvesting can start safely.
• Wildlife and conservation: every site must be checked for protected species, habitats, and heritage features. Breeding seasons can delay work.
• Hazards: each site must be surveyed for hazards such as overhead power lines, underground cables, or unstable ground.
• Weather and terrain: wet weather slows progress, and steep slopes are harder and more complex to work than flat ground.
• Future storms: more bad weather could worsen existing windblow and add to the workload.
• Ongoing responsibilities: while tackling windblow, we still have to manage unaffected forests and carry out our day-to-day duties.
• Limited resources: our team is small, and there are only so many qualified contractors available to share the work between public and private land.

NRW teams

Our south-west Wales Forest Operations and Land Management teams are coordinating the recovery programme alongside their day‑to‑day responsibilities across the 10,900 ha of forests, namely Brechfa, Crychan, Caio, and Cwm Rhaeadr forests, as well as woodlands in Pembrokeshire, Ceredigion, and the Brecon Beacons.

In the Forest Operations team, our work is wide‑ranging. We plan, develop, and manage forests and woodlands to keep them healthy, sustainable, and productive for wildlife, timber, and public use. This includes planting trees, supervising timber harvesting and sales, and ensuring all sites meet legal compliance and health and safety standards.

In Land Management, our focus is on public safety, recreation, conservation, and heritage. We also manage legal liabilities and oversee designated sites, including Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) and National Nature Reserves (NNRs).

What we did

In the weeks immediately after Storm Darragh our initial response included:

• Clearing routes which had been blocked by windblown trees. We worked with harvesting contractors and arboriculturists to clear over 35km of forest roads, accesses to properties, public rights of way, trails and dangerous trees near to public roads
• Working with neighbouring landowners and chainsaw contractors to remove trees from damaged fence lines and replaced kilometres of fences
• Surveying and mapping windblown areas. Once forest roads were open, we could access the forests to assess the damage and start planning harvesting operations.

Why your views matter

If after reviewing the maps and information about our recovery programme you have any feedback or questions, please get in touch. Complete this short survey and a member of the team will respond.