Le Guet has new life one year on from Storm Ciaran

However, the wood emerging from the aftermath of the almost 80mph winds that battered the island exactly 12 months ago will be different in character to the existing site.

States environmental land manager Andy McCutcheon said that the loss of trees was part of the natural cycle which was establishing a new type of woodland on the hill overlooking Cobo Bay.

The site is dominated by Monterey pines, a non-native species all planted over 70 years ago.

‘They were chosen because they grow well in the exposed site and acidic soil,’ he said. ‘Before that, the site was just a barren hill with a bit of gorse. The pace of change here is picking up because the trees are all of a similar age and reaching the end of their natural life.’

The after-effects of the storm are still plain to see across the site, with the carcasses of giant Monterey pines left where they fell. The management policy is to leave fallen trees on site to offer a deadwood habitat important for insects that will help increase the areas biodiversity.

‘The Monterey pines are non-native and so aren’t great for our natural wildlife, so replacing them with species like silver birch and English oak we will help the site’s biodiversity,’ said Mr McCutcheon. ‘But we also want to keep the nature of this area as a pine forest so are looking at maritime and Scots pine too.’

‘In 50 years the site will look different – a greater diversity of trees will be established to keep that biodiversity but also with still some other pines and the odd Monterey pines to keep the character of Le Guet.’

The fallen trees allow more light to reach the floor, prompting the natural growth of trees suited to the spot, he said.

‘This can work more effectively than planting with the trees coming up in the ideal spots,’ he said.

‘The soil is very acidic and saline so you need trees that will grow in those conditions. The silver birch we have planted are doing really well, but the English oaks are also tolerant. We have also trialled hawthorn field maple and hazel, but with mixed results.’

Currently about 8% of the island is covered by woodland, a doubling from the turn of the century.

‘Woodlands normally take decades to regenerate but the transition here will be a little more rapid, but it will still be evolution not revolution.’

However, change at the site might be bit more rapid if Guernsey was to experience another stormy winter.

‘No two years are the same when it comes to the weather,’ Mr McCutcheon said. ‘If we had had the winds Jersey had, you would have been looking at a far more widespread loss of trees.’