Projects / 2014–2015
Storm Darwin Clean-Up
In February 2014, Storm Darwin swept across Ireland, bringing hurricane-force winds that caused extensive damage to woodlands throughout the country. Dunmore East Woods was no exception.
Hundreds of trees were damaged or brought down across the Woods and the legacy of the storm can still be seen to this day. Established walking routes were blocked, access became difficult and many areas were unsafe for visitors.
The scale of the damage was unlike anything the Trust had experienced in living memory.
A Community Effort
The clean-up began almost immediately. For months, trustees, committee members and community volunteers worked tirelessly throughout the woodland, using their own equipment and giving countless hours of their own time to clear fallen trees, reopen paths and make the Woods safe again.
It was physically demanding work. Week after week, volunteers cut and cleared fallen timber, often in difficult conditions, simply to restore access and begin the long process of recovery.
The work was carried out not by a large organisation or public body, but by local people determined to protect a place that meant so much to the community. Storm Darwin brought down hundreds of trees, but it also revealed something stronger — the commitment of a community determined to restore and protect its woodland.
Turning Adversity into Opportunity
The storm left behind an enormous volume of fallen timber. Rather than allowing this valuable resource to go to waste, the Trust carefully processed much of the timber into firewood. The sale of these logs generated much-needed income that was reinvested directly into the restoration and ongoing care of the woodland.
This practical approach reflected the Trust’s long-standing philosophy of making the very best use of available resources while remaining true to the purpose for which the Woods were placed in trust. What began as storm damage ultimately helped provide funding for the woodland’s recovery.
More Than a Clean-Up
As the immediate recovery progressed, it became clear that Storm Darwin had exposed wider challenges facing the woodland.
The extent of the damage highlighted the importance of long-term planning, professional ecological advice and sustainable woodland management.
This led directly to the commissioning of the 2015 Biodiversity Management Plan, which became the blueprint for future conservation work and ultimately paved the way for the successful NeighbourWood Scheme.
In that sense, the clean-up marked not just the end of one chapter, but the beginning of another.
Lasting Legacy
Although Storm Darwin changed the appearance of parts of the woodland, it also strengthened the Trust’s commitment to caring for it.
The experience demonstrated the resilience of both the woodland and the local community. It inspired new approaches to conservation, improved woodland management and created opportunities to invest in the future of the Woods.
Today, many visitors walk the restored paths without realising the scale of the work that took place behind the scenes. The woodland they enjoy today is, in many ways, the result of months of voluntary effort, determination and community spirit following one of the most challenging events in the Trust’s history.