An unprecedented rescue mission was launched, with an emergency appeal raising millions in six weeks.
A force of nature
Tom Hill, National Trust Trees & Woodland Officer in the South East, explains ‘It’s hard to comprehend the scale of the damage. The statistics can’t do justice to the heartache of our rangers, gardeners, volunteers and communities as they woke up to a scene of chaos on 16 October 1987.’
From the wreckage, though, emerged new thinking and lessons that continue to evolve in our care and conservation work today.
The Great Storm, though devastating, was a natural occurrence. ‘This is significant’ says Tom. ‘In the time since, we’ve witnessed the cycle of this natural phenomenon in the way that nature has healed and restored itself, alongside the extensive conservation carried out by our teams.’