5. Will the Minister outline the Welsh Government's policy priorities for preserving Welsh wildlife? OAQ53229

Thank you. Our policy priorities for wildlife are contained in our nature recovery action plan, emphasising the important role that biodiversity plays in our well-being. This has, for example, seen us invest £4 million and secure an additional £11 million of EU funding for three important projects for Welsh habitats and wildlife.

Thank you very much for the reply, Minister. I know that your funding and—Welsh funding and European funding, how long that is going to be sustained. But a recent study into the state of birds in Wales found that one in three types of birds are in significant decline. In some cases, they're in danger of extinction in Wales. One of the reasons for this decline is the destruction of birds' habitats, such as hedgerows. Hedgerows are an important feature of the countryside environment, and I understand that regulations mean that it is against the law to remove most countryside hedges without permission from the local authorities—planning permission. Can I ask you, Minister, what you are doing to encourage the planting of hedgerows as an alternative to building fences to protect our environment and to reverse the worrying decline in our bird populations, please?

I have seen that report, and, certainly, the decline in some native bird species is very worrying. I think there are many factors that will combine together to effect bird population change over time in Wales, and I think we do need to ensure that Welsh habitats are absolutely in the best possible condition to allow bird populations the best chance of recovery.

I haven't specifically done anything about hedgerows, but I'd certainly be very happy to look at it. You'll be aware of the significant amount of hedgerows—. One of the things that struck me when I went out to New Zealand to look at farms out there—. If you go on farms in Wales, the wonderful hedgerows that are there, which obviously encourage bird species here, you just don't see out there. So, I think you're right, hedgerows form part of that work that needs to be done to make sure that we do have the bird population we want here.

In your response to Mohammad Asghar, you rightly highlight the importance of the 'State of Birds in Wales 2018' report, and we have, of course, some incredibly internationally important populations—I'm thinking, for example, of the gannetry on Grassholm; I could list a whole load. Obviously, some of the investment that's already been made to protect those habitats is beginning to show success, and ensuring that we adequately fund schemes and initiatives to recover and continue to recover natural environments is key, and that includes enabling Natural Resources Wales to be fully resourced around its conservation remit, which is, of course, a challenge. What discussions have you and your Government had, Minister, to mitigate the risk that we may no longer be able to access the EU funds that you mentioned, including initiatives such as the LIFE funding stream, which has been key in enabling some of the large scale species recovery and environment projects that have been undertaken here? How can that incredibly invaluable investment be replaced and maintained?

It is obviously an area that we have worked with the UK Government on, because, if you remember, we were told by the UK Government that, if we left the European Union, we would not lose a penny of funding. So, currently, we are still in that position where we are telling them, 'You promised us we would not lose a penny', and, certainly, right across my portfolio—as I think I said in an earlier answer to Rhun ap Iorwerth—it's awash with European funding. I think my portfolio probably receives the most. So, it is imperative that we continue to have those discussions, because we know of the impact it would have, not just on agriculture and fisheries, but also on the environment.

We've all been reading the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds's 'State of Birds in Wales 2018', so the question is quite clearly that birds are going down—there is a rapid decline—and I am a member of the RSPB, so I'll declare that now. So, in terms of the good things that we've done, like banning shooting on NRW land, stopping the shooting of the white-fronted goose—things like that, preserving specifics—they are really good. But I suppose, in terms of land management, my question will be about nitrate vulnerable zones and the impact that some of those have on our wildlife, and what it is, Minister, that you are going to do to make sure that we bring forward a sustainable plan where nitrates aren't in such concentration that they destroy any habitat that tries to live beyond them.

Thank you. So, the Member will be aware of the written statement I brought forward around agriculture pollution and NVZs. I think it's really important that we continue to take forward the nature recovery action plan. It's our national strategy so that we can address the decline in biodiversity. You mentioned a couple of instances around protection of birds, and I do think it is strategies like you've just mentioned around the Greenland white-fronted goose. I think it is also really important that we make good progress to embed the biodiversity and resilience of ecosystems duty with all public authorities. I think there's a big piece of work to be done here, and, again, I know that the First Minister—this is an area he's very keen on, about looking at the decline in the biodiversity, which I do think we have now started to reverse, but we need to do it at a much quicker pace.