Paper 2
RESPONSE BY COED CADW (THE WOODLAND TRUST) TO the Inquiry into forestry and woodland policy in Wales
April 2017
We all need trees
1. Background and introduction
a. Coed Cadw Woodland Trust the UK's largest woodland conservation charity, working for a UK rich in native woods and trees, for people and wildlife. In Wales alone we have over 14,000 members and 85,000 supporters. We manage over 100 sites in Wales covering 2,697 hectares (6,664 acres). Wales is one of the least wooded countries in Europe, with woodland making up just 14% of the landscape and less than half of this is native.
b. Everyone benefits from trees, woods and forests – even if they never see or touch a tree, or walk in a wood. They help supply us with the essentials of life, such as clean air, water, building materials and fuel. Trees offer other riches too: our lives would be far poorer without their place in our landscapes, literature, language and livelihoods.
c.
The end of the CAP provides an
opportunity to rethink and improve our environmental future.
Previously, separate agriculture and forestry policy have
undermined each other in key ways. We have the opportunity now to
develop a single new sustainable land management policy for Wales
and investment of public money in an incentive framework that is
locally designed and delivered, outcome focused and secures
benefits for people, the environment and nature as well as an
economic future for land managers.
2.
Wales is better with trees
– key salient points
a. Coed Cadw Woodland Trust’s vision document, Wales is Better with Trees[1], highlights the many benefits that woodland and trees offer to Wales, environmentally, socially and economically. We support, in broad terms, the Woodlands for Wales Strategy, in particular:
i.
Timber is a key renewable resource,
and one that can lock up carbon for years, thus assisting the
sustainable development and climate change agendas. Timber
can be sustainably produced on a commercial scale provided best
practice is applied. This is best defined by the voluntary
and independently audited UK Woodland Assurance Scheme
(UKWAS). We strongly commend WG and NRW for their commitment
to manage the public forest estate in accordance with this
standard.
ii.
Woodland provides huge services,
including protection of water resources, recreational and health
benefit and biodiversity. Factoring in these benefits means a
typical urban woodland is worth £130,000 per hectare and a
lowland broadleaved woodland £150,000 per hectare. Whilst
timber value is substantial, the Office for National Statistics
calculates the recreational value of woods to be 10 times
higher[2].
We would like to see these values acknowledged in public accounts
and policy making.
iii.
We strongly support the WG ambition
to plant 100,000 ha of new woodland over a 20 year period, implying
5,000 ha pa. But over the last two planting seasons for which we
have figures, the rate achieved has been just 100 ha[3].A
post-Brexit sustainable land use policy that clarifies where
planting should be targeted could make all the difference
here and also address the need for more diverse and sustainable
timber production .
iv.
The WG’s interpretation of the
EU Basic Payment rules for farmers has penalised Welsh farmers for
having trees on their land, despite Welsh Government policies which
encourage land managers to plant more trees. The rules required
every farmer in Wales to accurately map clusters of trees over
100m2, and subtract this from the eligible land area.
This was not the case in England or Scotland. The new system needs
to be different.
v.
The rapid rise of pests and diseases
affecting woodlands and landscapes across the UK threatens
biodiversity and timber production and is an issue that requires an
urgent and sustained response in Wales, co-ordinated with actions
in the other UK countries. We would like to see a plan to
ensure that the Welsh countryside is not permanently impoverished
by the widespread loss of ash trees.
vi.
Ancient woodland is the richest and
most valuable habitat for wildlife we have, covering less than 5
per cent of our land area. It is irreplaceable and cannot be
recreated. But despite the protections within planning policy real
threats continue, even as a result of developments by the Welsh
Government itself. At the end of December 2016 there were 115
ancient woodland under threat in Wales on our records. 80 of
these arise from building land allocations in local plans, 24
relate to utility developments and 5 to road schemes (including the
M4 relief road). We would like to see the
consistent and vigorous enforcement of guidance in Planning Policy
Wales.
vii. It is vital that the WG renews its commitment in the Woodlands for Wales Strategy, broadly, to gradually restore all Planted Ancient Woodland Sites (those that have been replanted with non-native species such as Norway spruce) on its own estate, and to encourage private landowners to do the same. Not to do this would be to support the destruction of a hugely valuable and irreplaceable natural asset. Our evidence shows that commitments to restore Planted Ancient Woodland Sites, including those on the public forest estate, are not being fully acted upon despite the huge biodiversity gains from careful and sensitive restoration. We are however very encouraged by the recent comprehensive commitment by NRW to work with us to fully restore Wales’ largest ancient woodland, Wentwood Forest.
viii.
There is currently no statutory
protection for Wales’ ancient, heritage and veteran trees, a
vital and much valued element of our heritage and of international
significance. The WG has established a Task and Finish Group to
look at providing this; it is vital that the group’s
recommendations are implemented.
ix.
The trees which have the greatest
positive impact on people are probably those in our towns and
cities. Compelling international evidence demonstrates the massive
health and well-being benefits afforded by tree-filled green space.
Yet tree cover in our towns and cities varies from 34% in Trimsaran
to just 6% in Rhyl.
x.
In January 2016 a petition[4]
bearing 2,258 signatures was presented to the Assembly, supporting
the principle that every town and city in Wales should benefit from
a minimum 20 per cent tree canopy cover and calling on the Welsh
Government to create a challenge fund to support tree planting to
improve the environment where people live, asking for particular
support for native species and fruit trees. In presenting this, we
drew attention to Forest Research’s Wrexham iTree Report
[5]
which demonstrates how the
town’s trees save the local economy more than £1.3m
every year through
reduced sewerage charges and in
health service savings.
xi.
The WG’s excellent Plant!
Initiative already funds a tree for every child born or adopted in
Wales. Coed Cadw is part of this project, and we believe more could
be done to build the connection between children and woods and
trees. The Foundation Year of the National Curriculum could be used
to ensure that every child can plant a tree themselves. We are
particularly keen for schools to work with us to mark the centenary
of the First World War with trees, including at our FFW Centenary
Wood, Coed Ffos Las in Carmarthenshire.
xii.
Wales needs a public forest estate
that is a world-leading exemplar of sustainable development.
Covering nearly six per cent of the land, this is a vitally
important asset that provides huge benefits for the population. We
commend the WG’s commitment to keeping it as a public asset.
We would like to see decisions made transparently in the public
interest, balancing economic, social and environmental objectives
and to see the forests diversified to increase resilience, taking
advantage of the devastation caused by P. Ramorum.
xiii. The current work of the WG Future Landscapes Wales Working Group provides a particular opportunity to ensure that the management of WG public forest estate achieves, in an exemplary way the vision and aspirations for Wales’ National Parks and AONBs. This could include a move towards low impact management within protected landscapes and even a ban on clear-felling within these areas, in all but exceptional circumstances.
3. Responding to climate change
a.
Well-managed woodland, forests and
trees have a key role both in mitigating climate change, see
paragraph 2a) iii above, and adapting to it.
4.
Adapting to climate change
a.
The Land Use and Climate Change
group also recognised that creating additional woodland in the
right places can be a very effective way to creating landscapes
more resilient to extreme weather. Our report ‘Holding
back the waters’[6]
describes how trees can provide a sustainable and low maintenance
solution to lessening the risk of flooding. Trees also maintain
water quality and reduce pollution from particulates and
fertilisers. The report proposes that the WG plant at least 10
million trees in targeted areas to help reduce flood risk to
thousands of homes across the country.
b.
One example of what this could mean
in practice is the Pontbren Scheme in Powys. The key report
‘The Pontbren Project’[7],
launched by John Griffiths AM in 2013, outlines how ten adjoining
farmers have worked together to plant over 120,000 trees and
shrubs, create or restore over ten miles of hedges, and create
numerous ponds. The success of the Pontbren Scheme provides a model
for farmers and policy makers to that could be incorporated into a
new sustainable land management scheme to better deliver essential
environmental services as part of productive livestock
farming.
c.
Ancient woodland is a richly complex
ecosystem, with trees, plants, animals, invertebrates, fungi and
soil micro-organisms all reacting with other in ways too complex
for us to yet fully understand. By restoring Planted Ancient
Woodland Sites more areas can once again become rich and varied
habitats, re-instating more resilient ecosystems and providing
habitat connectivity, and we can move away from more susceptible
monoculture plantations in our most important
locations.
5.
The Well-being of Future
Generations
a. The ground-breaking Well-being of Future Generations Act outlined seven well-being goals that seek to describe a common vision for the Wales we want. It offers an opportunity to ensure woodland and forestry play their full role in helping secure these outcomes.
b.
The
State of Natural
Resources Report (SoNaRR)
underlines the role of woods and trees in delivering most of the
well-being goals highlighted in the Welfare of Future Generations
Act[8]:
i.
A resilient Wales – trees and
woods can play a crucial role protecting ecosystems and sustaining
wildlife and water as well as providing renewable raw materials.
All sectors need to engage in the challenge to produce
mulit-purpose outputs rather than seek exclusivity for their own
particular interests.
ii.
A prosperous Wales – well
managed trees and woods contribute substantially not just in terms
of the timber and firewood they yield, but also in enhancing
resilience and productivity on farms, support water supply and
fisheries, enhance biodiversity and provide the attractive
landscapes and opportunities for tourism and recreation.
iii.
A healthier Wales – trees and
woods do not just provide opportunities for healthy exercise, but
also literally clean the air by removing harmful pollutants, shield
against noise and water pollution and can help limit
flooding.
iv.
An equal Wales – tree planting
in areas where most people live helps build community action and
aids economic regeneration by ensuring everyone is able to enjoy a
more pleasant, leafier environment.
v.
A Wales of cohesive communities
– involving communities in tree planting and the use and
management of their local woodlands has been shown to improve
community cohesion and reduce anti-social behaviour.
vi.
A Wales of vibrant culture and
thriving Welsh language – the distinctive cultural landscapes
of ffridd, coedcae, hedgerows and ancient trees and woodland have
played a significant role in the development of distinct cultural
practices and locally specific art and literature.
vii.
A globally responsible Wales –
The Welsh Government’s ambitious of creating 100,000 ha of
new woodland was first conceived as a means of reducing net CO2
emissions from the land-use sector, as well creating more resilient
landscapes. It should also reduce dependency on imported timber and
environmental damage by poorly regulated forestry overseas.
6. Delivering woodland creation
a. To deliver its tree planting ambition, it is vital that the WG include meaningful incentives to landowners to plant the right trees in the right place in any post-Brexit sustainable land use policy. It is clear that the response from landowners would be much more positive if the system no longer provided disincentives as it does currently.
b. More work is needed to more clearly identify land types and locations that are suitable for different sorts of woodland planting, with more focus on enabling beneficial change. We absolutely accept that the grant system should not support tree planting of a type and in a location which would cause environmental damage. Most locations could benefit from small areas of native planting, and there are large areas of low biodiversity landscape where we believe that suitably diverse and well-designed commercial planting could create both economic value and a landscape of generally higher biodiversity than currently exists.
7. Conclusion
a. The need for action to protect woodlands and trees and to create and plant more has never been greater. Climate change, resource depletion and intensification are driving unsustainable pressures on soil, water resources and biodiversity, while tree disease and the constant pressure of development threaten our woodland resource. We need to act now to ensure that Wales makes the fullest possible use of woodland and trees to tackle these major environmental problems.
[1] Published January 2016 and available online at: https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/publications/2016/01/wales-is-better-with-trees/
[2] https://www.ons.gov.uk/economy/environmentalaccounts/bulletins/ukenvironmentalaccounts/2015-07-09#tab-Woodland-ecosystem-asset-and-services-accounts
[4] More about this here: http://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/blogs/woodland-trust/2016/01/give-us-more-trees-in-our-towns/
[5] More about this here: https://www.forestry.gov.uk/fr/beeh-9t8dzh