I'll do it without.

The first recommendation in this committee report states:

'The Welsh Government must, as a matter of urgency, refresh its woodland strategy with the aim of significantly increasing planting rates.'

And its final recommendation states:

'the Welsh Government must ensure that future funding should be based on sustainable outcomes.'

However, Confor, the Confederation of Forest Industries, state that, although forests in Wales are managed to the UK forestry standard, which defines sustainable forest management as the basis for the 'Woodlands for Wales' strategy, planting trees is often viewed negatively, Government agencies, non-Government agencies and society oppose land-use change, leading to a presumption against woodland creation and the loss of the benefits of modern mixed forestry for people and the environment.

They therefore call for an acceptance of land-use change at a significant scale, a Government willing to promote forestry, and a national campaign for Welsh forestry and timber, stating that Wales will benefit because modern forestry operates to a world-leading sustainability standard that leaves other sectors far behind and produces a natural, versatile and infinitely renewable material, creating vibrant places for recreation and biodiversity in the process. But they also state that, in addition to producing timber, forest must be designed to mitigate flooding and conserve important species and habitat.

As I stated in my 90-second statement earlier, the curlew is special. It's one of our largest waders with a beautiful, haunting call, but this bird species is in serious trouble across large parts of Britain. Between 1994 and 2016, the curlew population declined by 68 per cent in Wales. As Wales species champion for the curlew, a bird that has historically been hugely affected by inappropriately located forestry plantations in the uplands, I'm concerned to ensure that, while woodland expansion in Wales has the potential to make a significant contribution to securing resilient woodland ecosystems, it must be appropriately located. Inappropriate woodland expansion has been identified as a key threat to upland habitats and the species found there. This includes curlew, which require large areas of open habitat on which to nest. Locating new woodlands on or adjacent to sensitive upland areas causes loss of habitat and changes in vegetation, thus reducing the amount of suitable breeding sites available for these ground-nesting birds.

As the RSPB states, appropriately located and well-designed woodland expansion has the potential to make a significant contribution to restoring and enhancing woodland biodiversity in Wales. Focusing woodland expansion on buffering and connecting existing woodland will improve the resilience of woodland ecosystems, and new woodland must be designed to deliver the full package of species requirements—places to breed, food sources for young and adults during breeding and winter food for adults. If we're to deliver genuine biodiversity benefits as well as increasing the area of certified woodland, we need appropriate monitoring to ensure that certified woodland is delivering for priority species and habitats. Failure to monitor the impacts risks woodland creation negatively impacting on both habitats and species.

To ensure woodland expansion in Wales delivers the full possible range of benefits whilst limiting the potential negative effects, the data used to inform woodland expansion must be fit for purpose. If we're to ensure that woodland expansion avoids negative impacts on species of open habitats, the underlying data must be updated and regularly reviewed, and must cover the full range of species impacted. Forest design plans must be based around delivery of desired objectives, and wherever possible, designed to deliver the maximum benefit. Timber production plans should aim to deliver a range of benefits including biodiversity, water flow and quality improvements, and recreation opportunities alongside sustainable timber production.

In recent years, woodland expansion in Wales has been restricted to the creation of numerous small woodlands, many located on farms, through both Glastir woodland creation and the Glastir small grants scheme. Many of these woodlands have involved the planting of the last remaining areas of semi-natural habitat within the landscape, and the loss of these last refuges is likely to have a significant impact on farm wildlife. Ensuring the impacts of woodland expansion are fully understood will be vital to avoiding future problems, and this can only be achieved through appropriate monitoring. Learning the lessons of poor historical forestry practice is vital. If we are to secure our natural resources for future generations, ensuring woodland expansion avoids negatively impacting on the species and habitats that underpin our natural resources will be critical.