Some 150 trees managed by Southwark Council were blown down across the borough in Storm Eunice, which swept across the UK on February 18 and 19.
An astonishing 29 of these were in Nunhead Cemetery, a largely woodland site to the west of Peckham Rye park.
Despite the damage, the number of trees lost was small in the wider context of the council’s overall stock of 82,500 trees. Southwark has said it will replace all of the trees lost, either in the same place or nearby if that is not possible.
Southwark said its tree team worked twelve-hour days despite the red weather warning from the Met Office, clearing fallen trees from roads, taking calls from residents and helping the emergency services.
Cllr Catherine Rose, Southwark Council Cabinet Member for Transport, Parks and Sport said: “The last comparable storm was in 2013 so Eunice was a massive challenge for us, with many of team not experiencing anything quite like it before. We recognise the local impact of the loss of 150 trees, and know people can form attachments with trees near their homes, which is why we will be working to replace them as quickly as we can.
“Our trees offer a wide range of important benefits by making our roads, streets and estates nicer places. They can also help store carbon, intercept pollution and help prevent flooding as they grow, making Southwark cleaner and greener for us all.”