In continuing her activities to mark National Tree Week 2021, the Member of the Welsh Parliament and Shadow Minister for Climate Change – Janet Finch-Saunders MS – has spoken of her deep upset at the news that more than 50 trees were blown down at world-renowned Bodnant Garden in the Conwy Valley during Storm Arwen, with ground staff reportedly still assessing the extent of the damage.
Bodnant is home to five National Collections and a host of champion trees, visited by more than 250,000 visitors a year. Its collections are looked after by a dedicated Welcome Team and 25 gardeners who work tirelessly to ensure the garden is maintained to the highest possible standards.
Among the casualties of the storm was a 140-year-old Coast Redwood, which was a finalist in the Woodland Trust's Tree of the Year competition in 2017. The wooded Furnace hillside, which only opened in 2017, is likely to remain inaccessible for several months as clearance work continues.
Commenting on the situation, Janet said:
“Storm Arwen was another stark reminder of the power of mother nature, with the occurrence of these extremely high wind speeds set to increase as a result of global climate change. I am deeply upset to have now received reports about the extent of the damage caused to Bodnant Garden.
“In recognising the ecological damage that Storm Arwen has wrecked, with many older and special trees felled across the constituency, yesterday I called on the Minister for Climate Change to make a statement on the measures that the Welsh Government will take to ensure that we have more storm resilient communities.
“It is essential that National Tree Week is used as an opportunity for our organisations to discuss how we can safeguard our biodiverse habitats from some of the more extreme weather patterns experienced, especially given the flood and heat management benefits that we know these trees provide.”
Earlier this year, in a visit to the gardens, Janet praised the work of the National Trust in Wales and their collaborative local efforts to restore biodiverse habitats and increase tree coverage. The Trust has ambitions to become carbon net zero in Wales by 2030 and aims to restore 4,600 hectares of priority habitat by 2025.
ENDS
Photo: Janet Finch-Saunders MS/AS visiting Bodnant Garden in September 2021.
