81mph gusts bring down trees in Exeter as Storm Henk hits city
Published: 3 January 2024
Tree teams in Exeter have been busy assessing damage caused by Storm Henk on Tuesday, which saw a large horse chestnut tree come crashing down on a busy road beside a popular park.
It was confirmed this morning that gusts of up to 81 mph were recorded at Exeter Airport yesterday, the highest speeds for over 30 years.
Exeter City Council and its contractors dealt with several reports of large trees being uprooted, including a fully mature Baumann’s horse chestnut – believed to be around 100 years old - on the edge of Heavitree Pleasure Ground, which fell across the nearby Whipton Lane, blocking the road.
Fortunately no-one was hurt in the incident and contractors from Devon County Council were quickly on the scene to clear up the debris and open up the road.
Tree teams from the City Council will now be assessing the tree – which was part of a line of four horse chestnuts - and deciding whether to remove the timber or allow it to remain in the park as a benefit to biodiversity. The Council will also decide on whether the site is suitable for replacement planting.
A tree officer for the Council described the effects of the high winds on trees in Exeter as “significant storm damage”.
Among the trees damaged by the storm were a large oak tree in Pinhoe, a mimosa which came down close to the Roman wall in Northernhay Gardens, and a tree in Stoke Hill, which will be replaced by two new trees.
Exeter City Council has a proud record of planting trees across the city to replace those that die off or are damaged by storms.
In November and December the City Council planted some 60 trees across Exeter. A further 40 whips are to be planted in hedges, as well as some fruit trees later in the season.
Cllr Ruth Williams, Lead Councillor with responsibility for Exeter’s green open spaces, said the Council was committed to an ongoing programme of tree planting across the city.
“Since the year 2000, we’ve planted some 17,000 trees throughout Exeter and there’s more to come.
“We recognise the important role that trees and plants play, not just for the environment but for the health and wellbeing of our residents and the people that come to visit this great city.”
The trees further underline the City Council’s commitment to its green open spaces as well as its pledge to protect the environment and become net zero by 2030.
A recent study from Treeconomics showed the true value of Exeter’s 179,000 trees to be valued at around £56.6 million for carbon storage.
