The impact of windblow in UK Forests

“Windblow” is where individual, or whole stands of trees, overturn. Windblow has been responsible for significant financial losses and environmental damage, particularly in the uplands of Scotland, northern England and parts of Wales where substantial areas of the UK’s rapidly maturing commercial conifer plantations are located. The threat alone of windblow can prevent the full economic, environmental and biodiversity value of many plantations being realised - because it can result in:

• Loss of opportunity to improve forest quality by thinning
• Loss of timber yield due to premature clear felling to pre-empt windblow
• Smaller sawlogs and higher proportion of lower value small roundwood
• Higher costs of harvesting windblown crops
• Negative impact on landscape quality & wildlife habitat
• Reduced flexibility and confidence in forest landscape design planning
• Major reduction in stumpage and plantation values

The threat of windblow damage is exacerbated by a general decline in the economic value of UK conifer plantations over the past few years due to the impact of the global timber market. Not only are costs of harvesting windblown timber much greater than for standing timber, but the market can become flooded with surplus, prematurely harvested timber causing prices to drop.

Together with the damage to the sporting, shelter, landscape and other environmental values of windblown woodlands, this can lead to significantly reduced financial returns to the woodland owner and losses in investor confidence.