The Prince of Wales traveled to Skenfrith, Monmouthshire, to assess conditions in a Welsh village that has endured four major flooding events over the past six years. Residents have struggled with repeated inundation, including a particularly severe incident earlier in the year when Storm Claudia deposited a month’s rainfall within 24 hours, causing the River Monnow to overflow and devastate homes and possessions throughout the community.
During his visit, the prince acknowledged the growing frequency of extreme weather events and expressed concern about how the traditional categorization of such incidents as “one in 50-year” occurrences no longer reflects reality. He emphasized the need for a comprehensive strategy addressing entire water catchment areas rather than isolated problems. His proposed solutions included landscape interventions to reduce water flow velocity, reforestation initiatives, and enhanced monitoring systems.
As part of these efforts, the prince participated in activities with Stump Up for Trees, an environmental organization founded in 2020 with a goal to plant one million native trees across southern Wales and the Brecon Beacons. During the visit to Great Tre-Rhew Farm, he assisted volunteers in harvesting tree seeds and planted a sessile oak, designated as Wales’s national tree. The charity collected 35,000 seeds last year and aims to increase that figure to 60,000.
The visit also included examination of a regenerative farming initiative in Herefordshire led by a young farmer, which focuses on enhancing soil health and improving farm resilience to both flooding and drought. Representatives from the Duchy of Cornwall participated in the visit to coordinate long-term partnerships and share knowledge about climate-resilient forestry and nature recovery efforts across the region.
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