8. Will the Minister make a statement on tree-planting rates in Wales? OAQ53455

Thank you. The Welsh Government is committed to accelerating woodland creation in Wales, and I am aware that more needs to be done to encourage this. I have agreed to another round of Glastir woodland creation funding. I'll be making an oral statement on Welsh Government support for forestry in Wales in March.

Thank you. Last week, children across the UK went on strike in a call for action on climate change. I know the Welsh Government is fully committed to combating climate change and recognises the hugely important role that woodlands play in the sustainable development of our natural resources. Welsh Government has committed to a minimum increase in woodland cover to 15.8 per cent by 2030. To meet the legal target for greenhouse gas emission reductions, the UK climate change committee recommends that 4,000 hectares of trees should be planted each year by 2030. This would take woodland cover in Wales to 16.7 per cent. We undoubtedly need more trees in urban and rural environments across Wales. What steps is the Minister taking to ensure that we meet our tree-planting targets?

As I say, I know that we need to do far more in relation to tree planting, and I have been having discussions both with the Confederation of Forest Industries and with Natural Resources Wales. You'll be aware of the actions on our climate change adaptation—they're described in our climate change strategy in Wales. And woodland creation, including urban greening, which you referred to, has got a very important role to play in tackling the impacts of climate change. So, we're going to embed that in the role that sustainably managing Wales's natural resources can play into their decarbonisation work. I mentioned that I met with Natural Resources Wales just last week, and they certainly have land that's going to be available for tree planting, so I'm going to work with them to see how we can convert some of that land into woodland—hopefully, over the next year.

Minister, I think we all agree with the aspirations for greater tree planting here in Wales. The forestry sector, actually, over the last couple of years, has been hugely successful, and when we look at the outcomes—especially financial outcomes—from some of the participants here, they give optimism for the future. But the successive targets that Welsh Government have set for tree planting have been missed—not just by a small distance, but by a country mile. Now, you've talked of conversations you've had. You're a Minister who's been in post some several years now. Can you give the Chamber some confidence that you, in your ministerial role, have identified the shortcomings in previous rounds of funding for forestry plantation here in Wales, and how, going forward, we can have confidence that you will hit the Welsh Government's targets by shutting off those shortfalls and actually getting some momentum behind the tree-planting operations across the length of Wales?

I think we do need to get some momentum behind our tree planting. There are clearly several barriers, which I think we have to overcome, and it's interesting, it depends who you're talking to as to whether we're planting the right trees in the wrong places or the wrong trees in the right places, and going through the wood for the trees—pardon the pun—I think it seems to be very complex, and I don't think it needs to be that complex. I had a very productive discussion last week with Confor, followed immediately by a meeting with NRW, where we did identify how we could overcome some of those barriers, and I mentioned in my answer to Jayne Bryant that NRW do have land ready to go, ready for being planted, so I want to work very closely with them over the next few months to make sure that woodland is planted over the next year, to kick-start some tree planting at the levels that we would want over the next year. I also think there are opportunities within the public goods scheme—we've brought forward that proposal in 'Brexit and our land'—and again, post-Brexit, I think that is an opportunity that I would want to work through.

Thank you, Minister.