Exmoor National Park Rangers Remove Over 120 Trees After Storm Darragh

Roads and footpaths across Somerset remain obstructed by numerous trees, a week after Storm Darragh impacted the region, according to reports. Within Exmoor National Park, rangers have removed over 120 trees during the past week, though they indicated a significant number still need to be addressed. The team aims to make the primary footpaths accessible prior to the Christmas period. Sue Applegate, the public rights of way and access officer at the park, stated: “Exmoor is very reliant on its path network and we want to get it open and ready for Christmas.” Ms Applegate further explained that clearing certain trees required only minutes, while others demanded several hours. “It’s quite a task,” she said. “It’s such a shame to see trees that are hundreds of years old brought down by a storm like this.” Graeme McVittie, senior woodlands officer at Exmoor National Park, described the situation as “pretty full-on.” He also commented, “The impact of this storm has been really significant.” McVittie continued, “As we’re seeing these storms increasing in frequency and intensity, we have a job on our hands and we need to be aware of what the future has in store for us.” He concluded, “We have a duty of care to people who use our footpaths and we try to make sure trees are in safe condition, but it’s difficult.”