1. Will the Minister make a statement on the Natural Resources Wales approach to reforestation in areas in the South Wales valleys denuded by larch disease? OAQ53261

Thank you. Wales has suffered unprecedented levels of phytophthora ramorum disease, which has forced clearance of large areas of larch, especially in the south Wales Valleys. NRW is restocking these woodland areas using a mixture of species that are appropriate to each location. Wales will then have a more resilient and varied woodland. 

I thank the Minister for that response. It was very encouraging to see one of the outcomes of the Valleys taskforce work was the idea of a south Wales Valleys woodland and park that would spread across the whole of the Valleys from east to west. Of course, there's amazing potential with that, but the denudation through larch disease has had a significant impact, and I see it in the Llynfi, the Garw and the Ogmore valleys. And I'm wondering, in their approach to reforestation, what discussions, what consultation does NRW do with local communities, what does it do with local landowners, local businesses, including, potentially, if it gets up and running, the Afan adventure park at the top of David Rees's constituency and mine, which has been totally scalped because of larch disease, but they anticipate bringing there, if they get through the planning permission, a Center Parcs with adrenaline, but it will need that reforestation to make it work? So, what support can you give to local communities, to businesses, to engage with the reforestation programme?

Thank you. I do appreciate that having to fell so much woodland in the south Wales Valleys within such a short timescale has had a really devastating impact on the area, and I don't think it's something that NRW would certainly have wanted to do under normal circumstances. NRW do try to minimise the impact of felling on local communities and businesses through having engagement with local communities, and I know they hold public meetings, they hold drop-in sessions as part of their forest operations, so that they can share their proposals with people and also seek their views on them. I certainly would recommend, if you know of any specific community or even individual constituents who would like that level of engagement with NRW, to please contact them, and I'm sure they would engage to see what their views were on proposals for the woodland estate. 

Yes, it's a very sad sight, and I'm pleased to hear your answer to Huw Irranca-Davies. But, I think, having looked at some of the photographs of how the replanting is being done, some of these mixed saplings are really quite small. And I was wondering if you'd be interested in speaking to the education Minister about the opportunity for children and young people in schools to actually perhaps be part of the replanting plans. I presume it has to go through NRW and a range of other people, but, in terms of this representing a more historically accurate landscape for Wales, there are a lot of places, particularly in the new curriculum, where this could fit quite happily—anything from history through to science, through to anything that's in the well-being area of learning. Thank you. 

I certainly think that's a very good suggestion from Suzy Davies, and I'd be very happy to speak to my colleague Kirsty Williams about it. 

Minister, you'll be aware of the correspondence that you've had between yourself and my colleague Elin Jones with regard to concerns of the residents around the Hafod Estate near Aberystwyth about the nature of the removal of the trees. You'll recall Elin Jones raising concerns with you about the use of pesticides and people's concerns about that potentially affecting both other wildlife and the water table, since many of the homes in that area receive their water from wells rather than from main supplies. You were kind enough to reply to Elin, and I would invite you today to put on record your reassurance to that community, and to any others who may be concerned across Wales about the nature of control, that there is no reason to fear either for human health because of contamination to the water table, or because of any risks to wildlife.

Yes. Thank you for the opportunity to express that reassurance. 

Minister, clearly the Afan valley was one of the first and one of the most severely affected by the larch disease, and my colleague the Member for Ogmore has highlighted the opportunities that come as a consequence of reforestation. Have you had discussions with your colleague the Minister for Economy and Transport about how we can build up the economies of those valleys? Tourism is an agenda that clearly is going to take those valleys forward, but if we don't have the reforestation and if the plans aren't established, that's going to take a hit. 

I haven't had specific discussions with the Minister for Economy and Transport, but I'd be very happy to do so. Obviously, my interest in this area is about restocking the woodland areas, as I've just answered to Huw Irranca-Davies. And it's really, I think, important that the mixture of species of trees is very appropriate to each location. I know not every area between your two constituencies will require the same species of trees. So, I think it's really important that that is very specifically appropriate. Again, the objectives for restocking vary according to local forest resource plans. But, as I say, you make a very good point, I think, about tourism, which I'd be very happy to discuss with Ken Skates.