Welsh Government
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Our woodlands must adapt to tackle climate change, says Minister
Launching the Welsh Assembly Government's revised strategy for trees and woodlands, Woodlands for Wales, the Minister said it would require "a good, long, hard look" at how we use our woodlands if Wales was to succeed in its aims to tackle global warming.
The strategy envisages increasing the woodland cover of Wales and making our woodlands more diverse by planting a wider range of tree species which will be more resilient to the changing climate.
Speaking at the launch in Castell Cennen, near Llandeilo, Elin Jones said:
Climate change is one of the biggest challenges facing our generation. The effects of this can be eased by woodlands and trees, which is why the new Woodlands for Wales strategy sets out bold and ambitious plans to help Wales towards its targets of a year-on-year 3% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from 2011.
Our aim is to increase the woodland cover of Wales – including in towns and cities - as well as increasing the range of tree species in non-native woodlands. These measures, along with bringing more native woodland into active management, will help to achieve a range of environmental and social benefits. As well as tackling climate change, these actions can control flooding and maintain levels of timber production in line with the Assembly's efforts to promote and increase the demand for this renewable resource.
Increasing Wales's woodland cover will also provide a wide range of opportunities for people from all walks of life to become involved in their woodlands and to enjoy them as places for recreation and learning, while contributing to the nation's health and well-being. This links to the Welsh Assembly Government’s wider commitment to make it easier for people to be more active and healthy as part of daily life.
It is only through careful and appropriate management that we will be able to achieve all that we want from Woodlands for Wales. All these changes will bring new challenges for woodland owners and managers – but also new opportunities. Woodlands and trees can contribute in so many ways to the lives of the people of Wales. And I would encourage everyone with an interest to support the delivery of this ambitious strategy.
The strategy's aim of increasing Wales's woodland cover links in with the Assembly's One Wales commitment to the creation of a Welsh National Forest of native trees to act as a carbon sink.
This process is already under way with the inception of the Assembly's Plant! project which involves planting a tree for all babies and adopted children in Wales. This scheme is well underway, and First Minister Rhodri Morgan is today (March 27) launching the third Plant! site near Tredegar.
Related Links
http://wales.gov.uk/topics/environmentcountryside/forestry/?lang=en
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