The Labour-led Assembly Government today launched draft plans which will leads towards fulfilling its commitment to create a Welsh National Forest of native trees.
There are currently 382 million trees in Wales but the Assembly Government is working to ensure that woodlands in Wales can meet the challenges of the 21st century – particularly climate change. A 12-week public consultation on the revision of Woodlands for Wales, the Welsh Assembly Government’s Woodland Strategy was launched today.
The publication of the consultation gives the opportunity to re-assess the current strategy in light of the One Wales commitment to create a Welsh National Forest to act as a carbon sink, and to consider how trees and woodlands can help further the Assembly Government’s ambitions in a range of other ways. Among the specific issues the Welsh Assembly Government wants to hear from people and organisations are:
- Do we need more woodlands? If so, where should they be and what should they be like?
- The importance of trees in towns and cities.
- Woodlands will need to adapt to the impacts of climate change themselves – these are likely to be warmer, drier summers and milder, wetter winters in Wales. The revised strategy will need to give direction for the appropriate management of trees and woodlands.
To have your say in the consultation, please go to: http://new.wales.gov.uk/consultations/currentconsultation/envandcouncurrcons/strategyfortreesandwoodlandscons/?lang=en
