Forestry in Wales

Part of 1. Questions to the Cabinet Secretary for Energy, Planning and Rural Affairs – in the Senedd at 2:02 pm on 17 January 2018.

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Photo of Hannah Blythyn Hannah Blythyn Labour 2:02, 17 January 2018

It might surprise the Member that I wholeheartedly agree with everything he said there. That won't happen very often. [Laughter.] As I said, forestry is one of the top priorities, and I'm well aware of the issues that he's raised. Actually, my first meeting in post was with Confor, where they raised similar issues that there is the demand there, but we have to increase the supply as well, and we have to look at how we best manage that, too, in terms of woodland creation. And the issue at the moment is actually accessing the land management and how we do that, and that is something that we are looking at in more detail. I'll also be going to Scotland early next month to learn more from the relative success they've had there, to see if there are things that we can apply in creating new woodland to increase the productive potential of woodland in Wales. I think to do this, we need to work with stakeholders, such as the company you mentioned in your constituency, to develop ways that we can provide that support for forestry as part of the design of sustainable land management proposals, which, as I said, will eventually replace the current CAP.