Preserving Welsh Wildlife

Part of 1. Questions to the Minister for Environment, Energy and Rural Affairs – in the Senedd at 2:01 pm on 23 January 2019.

Alert me about debates like this

Photo of Mohammad Asghar Mohammad Asghar Conservative 2:01, 23 January 2019

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?