Growing our Woodlands in Wales: the 100000 ... - Click on Wales
Growing our Woodlands in Wales: the 100000 ... - Click on Wales
Growing our Woodlands in Wales: the 100000 ... - Click on Wales
Create successful ePaper yourself
Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.
<str<strong>on</strong>g>Grow<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>our</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
woodlands<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Wales</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> 100,000 hectare challenge<br />
John Osm<strong>on</strong>d AND STEVIE UPTON
<str<strong>on</strong>g>Grow<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>our</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
woodlands<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Wales</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> 100,000 hectare challenge<br />
John Osm<strong>on</strong>d and stevie upt<strong>on</strong>
The authors<br />
The Institute of Welsh Affairs exists to promote quality research and<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>formed debate affect<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> cultural, social, political and ec<strong>on</strong>omic<br />
well be<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g of <str<strong>on</strong>g>Wales</str<strong>on</strong>g>. The IWA is an <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>dependent organisati<strong>on</strong> ow<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g<br />
no allegiance to any political or ec<strong>on</strong>omic <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>terest group. Our <strong>on</strong>ly<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>terest is <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> see<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g <str<strong>on</strong>g>Wales</str<strong>on</strong>g> fl<str<strong>on</strong>g>our</str<strong>on</strong>g>ish as a country <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> which to work<br />
and live. We are funded by a range of organisati<strong>on</strong>s and <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>dividuals,<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>clud<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust, <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> Esmée Fairbairn<br />
Foundati<strong>on</strong>, <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> Waterloo Foundati<strong>on</strong> and PricewaterhouseCoopers.<br />
For more <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>formati<strong>on</strong> about <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> Institute, its publicati<strong>on</strong>s, and how to<br />
jo<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>, ei<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>r as an <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>dividual or corporate supporter, c<strong>on</strong>tact:<br />
IWA - Institute of Welsh Affairs<br />
4 Ca<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>dral Road, Cardiff CF11 9LJ<br />
Tel 029 2066 0820<br />
Fax 029 2023 3741<br />
Email wales@iwa.org.uk<br />
Web www.iwa.org.uk<br />
www.click<strong>on</strong>wales.org<br />
John Osm<strong>on</strong>d is Director of <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> Institute<br />
of Welsh Affairs, and has written widely<br />
<strong>on</strong> Welsh politics and policy, culture,<br />
and devoluti<strong>on</strong>. A former j<str<strong>on</strong>g>our</str<strong>on</strong>g>nalist and<br />
televisi<strong>on</strong> producer he is a Fellow of Cardiff<br />
Metropolitan University and has been<br />
awarded an H<strong>on</strong>orary MA by <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> University<br />
of <str<strong>on</strong>g>Wales</str<strong>on</strong>g>.<br />
Stevie Upt<strong>on</strong> is Research Officer at <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
Institute of Welsh Affairs. Her research<br />
focuses predom<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>antly <strong>on</strong> educati<strong>on</strong> and<br />
regi<strong>on</strong>al ec<strong>on</strong>omic policy. A recent major<br />
study published by <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> IWA was Mak<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g a<br />
Difference at Key Stage 3: learn<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g from five<br />
successful schools.<br />
Supported by<br />
ISBN 978 1 904773 63 4<br />
July 2012<br />
Design: www.<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>undercard.co.uk
C<strong>on</strong>tents<br />
Introducti<strong>on</strong><br />
5<br />
1 — The 100,000<br />
hectare challenge<br />
6<br />
2— Benefits of tree plant<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g<br />
9<br />
3 — F<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>ancial <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>centives for<br />
plant<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g more trees<br />
13<br />
4— Impact of CAP reform<br />
19<br />
5— An ec<strong>on</strong>omic approach<br />
to woodland creati<strong>on</strong><br />
22<br />
6— The woodland agents<br />
25<br />
7— Views of <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> landowners<br />
29<br />
8— The envir<strong>on</strong>mental lobbyists<br />
33<br />
9 — Policy implicati<strong>on</strong>s<br />
36
The woodland<br />
cover of <str<strong>on</strong>g>Wales</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
Vegetati<strong>on</strong> types suitable<br />
for woodland creati<strong>on</strong><br />
S<str<strong>on</strong>g>our</str<strong>on</strong>g>ce: Forestry Commissi<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Wales</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
04
INTRODUCTION<br />
This report engages with <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> Welsh Government’s policy<br />
to significantly <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>crease <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> woodland cover across <str<strong>on</strong>g>Wales</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
from <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> present 14 per cent of <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> land area to 20 per cent<br />
by 2030. Creat<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g new woodland offers many benefits aside<br />
from help<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g mitigate <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> impact of climate change. The new<br />
woodland will c<strong>on</strong>sist of ma<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>ly native trees and will provide<br />
additi<strong>on</strong>al wildlife habitat, improve <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> quality of <str<strong>on</strong>g>our</str<strong>on</strong>g> landscape<br />
and waters and, at <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> same time, create useful timber products<br />
such as fuel and wood as a raw material.<br />
However, <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>creas<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g <str<strong>on</strong>g>Wales</str<strong>on</strong>g>’ woodland by 100,000<br />
hectares over 20 years presents a major challenge. It will<br />
require farmers to plant mixed deciduous and c<strong>on</strong>ifer<br />
woodlands across suitable parts of largely upland <str<strong>on</strong>g>Wales</str<strong>on</strong>g>. This<br />
will require establish<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g a new balance between c<strong>on</strong>servati<strong>on</strong><br />
and susta<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>able development. We will need to weigh <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
benefits of ma<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>ta<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g><str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g exist<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g habitats aga<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>st <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> advantages<br />
of creat<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g new <strong>on</strong>es. In additi<strong>on</strong> we will need to return to <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
practices of former times when woodland management was<br />
seen as a natural part of farm<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g culture, ra<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>r than be<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g<br />
separated from it as is generally <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> case today.<br />
This report was prepared to <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>form a c<strong>on</strong>ference <strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>se<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>mes, organised by <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> IWA and Forestry Commissi<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Wales</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> July 2012, to address <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> follow<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g questi<strong>on</strong>s about land use:<br />
— Where should <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> new woodland be created?<br />
— What is <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> best way to achieve <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> land use change<br />
be<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g envisaged?<br />
— How can we create a framework that will help us agree <strong>on</strong><br />
where new woodland is appropriate and where it is not?<br />
— How does creat<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g new woodland fit <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>to o<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>r objectives<br />
such as ec<strong>on</strong>omic development, improved water quality and<br />
ma<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>ta<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g><str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g important n<strong>on</strong>-woodland habitats?<br />
All <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>se questi<strong>on</strong>s need to be resolved if <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> Welsh<br />
Government’s ambitious target for extend<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g <str<strong>on</strong>g>Wales</str<strong>on</strong>g>’<br />
woodlands is to be achieved. Our report ends with a number<br />
of policy suggesti<strong>on</strong>s which we hope will be helpful <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> tak<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g<br />
this agenda forward.<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>Grow<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>our</str<strong>on</strong>g> woodlands <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Wales</str<strong>on</strong>g>: <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> 100,000 hectare challenge | 05
— 1 —<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> 100,000 hectare challenge<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>Wales</str<strong>on</strong>g> is <strong>on</strong>e of <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> least wooded countries <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> Europe.<br />
Woodland covers <strong>on</strong>ly 15 per cent of <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> land area and<br />
<strong>on</strong>ly 37 per cent of this is broadleaf. The average woodland<br />
cover for countries <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> European Uni<strong>on</strong> is 37 per cent.<br />
Forestry Commissi<strong>on</strong> figures reveal that <str<strong>on</strong>g>Wales</str<strong>on</strong>g> is fall<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g beh<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>d<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> rest of <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> UK <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> tak<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g advantage of opportunities for<br />
woodland restorati<strong>on</strong>. Dur<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g 2008-09 just 100 hectares of new<br />
broadleaved woodland were planted <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Wales</str<strong>on</strong>g>. 1<br />
In March 2010 <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> Land Use and Climate Change<br />
Group, chaired by Professor Gareth Wyn J<strong>on</strong>es, reported <strong>on</strong><br />
how <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> greenhouse gases produced by <str<strong>on</strong>g>Wales</str<strong>on</strong>g>’ agriculture<br />
and forestry could be offset to c<strong>on</strong>tribute to <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> Welsh<br />
Government’s target of an annual year-<strong>on</strong>-year 3 per cent<br />
emissi<strong>on</strong>s reducti<strong>on</strong>. Am<strong>on</strong>g <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> Group’s recommendati<strong>on</strong>s<br />
was a major <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>crease <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> Welsh woodland from <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> present<br />
300,000 hectares to about 400,000 hectares by 2030. This<br />
would extend <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> land area of <str<strong>on</strong>g>Wales</str<strong>on</strong>g> covered by forest from <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
present 15 per cent to about 20 per cent.<br />
In its resp<strong>on</strong>se to <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> Group’s report <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> June 2010,<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> Welsh Government accepted this recommendati<strong>on</strong>. If<br />
achieved, <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> proposed extensi<strong>on</strong> to <str<strong>on</strong>g>Wales</str<strong>on</strong>g>’ woodlands would<br />
have f<str<strong>on</strong>g>our</str<strong>on</strong>g> major benefits. It would:<br />
— Achieve a net <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>crease <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> carb<strong>on</strong> capture by <str<strong>on</strong>g>Wales</str<strong>on</strong>g>’ forests.<br />
— Produce susta<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>able material and fuel.<br />
— Improve upland hydrology.<br />
— Provide additi<strong>on</strong>al habitat for wildlife.<br />
The new woodland would be ma<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>ly deciduous, but with a<br />
proporti<strong>on</strong> of c<strong>on</strong>ifer species for high quality, endur<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g end<br />
uses. Plant<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g should take place almost entirely <strong>on</strong> low-fertility,<br />
acid upland soils, <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>clud<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g bracken-dom<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>ated slopes. As <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
Group recommended:<br />
“ …<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> exist<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g and expanded forest, public and private alike,<br />
must be managed to provide a susta<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>able s<str<strong>on</strong>g>our</str<strong>on</strong>g>ce of fuelwood<br />
and timber al<strong>on</strong>gside o<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>r services and products,<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>clud<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> l<strong>on</strong>g-term net carb<strong>on</strong> s<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>k.” 2<br />
However, <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> recommendati<strong>on</strong> presents a major challenge<br />
s<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>ce it would require an average woodland creati<strong>on</strong> rate<br />
of 5,000 hectares per year over <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> time period. At present<br />
it is estimated that <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> annual rate of <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>crease is around 500<br />
hectares. As <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> Group’s report notes, to achieve <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> extra<br />
rate of <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>crease will require “significant ec<strong>on</strong>omic <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>centives to<br />
deliver”, and “<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>novative new delivery mechanisms”. 3<br />
The scale of <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> challenge can also be measured by <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
history of plant<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Wales</str<strong>on</strong>g> s<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>ce World War II, as shown <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
06 | <str<strong>on</strong>g>Grow<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>our</str<strong>on</strong>g> woodlands <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Wales</str<strong>on</strong>g>: <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> 100,000 hectare challenge
Hectares of New plant<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Wales</str<strong>on</strong>g>, 1946 – 2011<br />
S<str<strong>on</strong>g>our</str<strong>on</strong>g>ce: Forestry Commissi<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Wales</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
6000<br />
5000<br />
4000<br />
3000<br />
2000<br />
1000<br />
0<br />
1946<br />
1948<br />
1950<br />
1952<br />
1954<br />
1956<br />
1958<br />
1960<br />
1962<br />
1964<br />
1966<br />
1968<br />
1970<br />
1972<br />
1974<br />
1976<br />
1978<br />
1980<br />
1982<br />
1984<br />
1986<br />
1988<br />
1990<br />
1992<br />
1994<br />
1996<br />
1998<br />
2000<br />
2002<br />
2004<br />
2006<br />
2008<br />
2010<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> chart above. In more than half a century <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> present target<br />
of 5,000 hectares has <strong>on</strong>ly been reached <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> <strong>on</strong>e year, <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> 1960.<br />
Moreover, dur<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g most of this period <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> plant<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g was largely<br />
of c<strong>on</strong>ifers, by <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> ma<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>, <strong>on</strong>e organisati<strong>on</strong> – <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> Forestry<br />
Commissi<strong>on</strong> – and <strong>on</strong> relatively large tracts of land. In later<br />
years, and especially <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> 1960s and 1970s, a fav<str<strong>on</strong>g>our</str<strong>on</strong>g>able tax<br />
regime enc<str<strong>on</strong>g>our</str<strong>on</strong>g>aged more private <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>vestment.<br />
Set aga<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>st this record, <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> aim for <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> com<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g 20 years<br />
is to plant new forests of mixed woodland, by a wide range of<br />
owners – with an average of about two-thirds of <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> target<br />
be<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g planted by farmers – and <strong>on</strong> relatively small plots of land.<br />
So far <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> average area of new plantati<strong>on</strong>s has been just over<br />
3 hectares.<br />
In address<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>se challenges a comb<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>ati<strong>on</strong> of technical,<br />
f<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>ancial and social or psychological questi<strong>on</strong>s need to be<br />
explored. The technical questi<strong>on</strong> is <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> extent and locati<strong>on</strong><br />
of appropriate land that is available <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Wales</str<strong>on</strong>g> for plant<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
additi<strong>on</strong>al woodlands that are be<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g recommended.<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>Grow<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>our</str<strong>on</strong>g> woodlands <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Wales</str<strong>on</strong>g>: <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> 100,000 hectare challenge | 07
The f<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>ancial questi<strong>on</strong>s revolve around <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>centives that can be<br />
made available to landowners. These <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>clude tax relief, payments<br />
for <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>come foreg<strong>on</strong>e, and <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> new Glastir Woodland Creati<strong>on</strong><br />
scheme. As many fiscal levers as possible should be mobilised to<br />
persuade farmers, <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> particular, to sign up to grow<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g more trees<br />
<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>ir land. For example, under <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> Glastir scheme grants can<br />
provide up to £9,000 per hectare over a 15-year period. Farmers<br />
will rema<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> eligible for <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> EU s<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>gle farm payment scheme<br />
<strong>on</strong> land that has been taken out of producti<strong>on</strong> through agrienvir<strong>on</strong>ment<br />
schemes and new woodland plant<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g, provided <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
land was eligible for <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> s<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>gle payment <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> 2008. However, <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>se<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>centives have to be placed aga<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>st <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> prices that farmers can<br />
currently get for <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>ir lamb and beef. For example, while three<br />
years ago lamb prices were between £30 and £40 a head, today<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>y have risen to between £80 and £90. In <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>se circumstances<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> Glastir scheme is struggl<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g to persuade farmers to look<br />
elsewhere for farm <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>come.<br />
This is compounded by <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> attitudes of many farmers and<br />
landowners towards <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> value of plant<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g trees. There is a view<br />
that us<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g land for grow<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g forests is <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> some way less productive<br />
than us<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g it for rear<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g animals or grow<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g crops. For example,<br />
some are reluctant to c<strong>on</strong>vert land <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>to forestry because it entails<br />
tak<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g land permanently out of food producti<strong>on</strong>.<br />
As <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> Countryside Council for <str<strong>on</strong>g>Wales</str<strong>on</strong>g> told us, <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> a<br />
resp<strong>on</strong>se to a c<strong>on</strong>sultati<strong>on</strong> we carried out with stakeholders:<br />
“ There is a deep-seated separati<strong>on</strong> of ‘forestry’ and<br />
‘farm<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g’ <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Wales</str<strong>on</strong>g> which has been re<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>forced by<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>stituti<strong>on</strong>al separati<strong>on</strong> over a l<strong>on</strong>g period. While most<br />
farms <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Wales</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>clude woodland, many farmers do not<br />
see <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>mselves as woodland managers or foresters. The<br />
reas<strong>on</strong>s <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>clude lack of knowledge and skills, plus ec<strong>on</strong>omic<br />
c<strong>on</strong>siderati<strong>on</strong>s. There are lower returns <strong>on</strong> woodlands<br />
than graz<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g or arable land, a potential loss of <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> capital<br />
value of land under woodland compared to farmland,<br />
and loss of flexibility. Once land is c<strong>on</strong>verted to woodland<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> expectati<strong>on</strong> (backed up by <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> Forestry Act) is that<br />
woodland will rema<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> as woodland.” 4<br />
A major challenge is to persuade farmers that tree plant<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g<br />
can be <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>tegrated <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>to <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>ir farm<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g practice to beneficial<br />
effect. This may not be as difficult as it sounds. What is<br />
required is for farmers to rediscover <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> practice of a previous<br />
era <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> Welsh farm<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g a few generati<strong>on</strong>s ago, when woodland<br />
creati<strong>on</strong> and management were seen as an <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>tegral part of<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>our</str<strong>on</strong>g> farm<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g culture.<br />
Notes<br />
1 http://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/en/news-media/wales/Pages/<br />
welsh-assembly-petiti<strong>on</strong>.aspx<br />
2 Land Use Climate Change Report to Welsh Assembly Government,<br />
March 2010, page xxxiv.<br />
3 Ibid., pages 56 and 58.<br />
4 Resp<strong>on</strong>se to questi<strong>on</strong>naire, 24 May 2012.<br />
08 | <str<strong>on</strong>g>Grow<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>our</str<strong>on</strong>g> woodlands <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Wales</str<strong>on</strong>g>: <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> 100,000 hectare challenge
— 2—<br />
Benefits of<br />
tree plant<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g<br />
Although <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> ma<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> policy driver for adopt<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> 100,000<br />
hectare target is climate change mitigati<strong>on</strong>, many o<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>r benefits<br />
would accrue. Increas<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> tree cover across <str<strong>on</strong>g>Wales</str<strong>on</strong>g> by<br />
plant<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g mixed, ma<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>ly deciduous woodlands, would enhance<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>our</str<strong>on</strong>g> land management <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> a variety of beneficial ways, <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>clud<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> follow<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g:<br />
— More competitive agricultural producti<strong>on</strong> through<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> provisi<strong>on</strong> of more shade and shelter, better stock<br />
management around streams and steep slopes, better<br />
biosecurity, reduced risk of run off, diffuse polluti<strong>on</strong><br />
and waterlogg<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g.<br />
— Reduced risk of flood<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g where bands or drifts of<br />
deep-rooted broadleaves <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>tercept surface run off.<br />
— Enhanced landscapes.<br />
— More woodland, and wood pasture habitats which<br />
support a wide variety of species.<br />
— More land suitable for game management.<br />
— More wood producti<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>clud<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g firewood.<br />
Farm<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g and forestry are generally seen as separate and<br />
compet<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g land uses, undertaken by different sets of professi<strong>on</strong>als.<br />
In <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> past, however, <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> plant<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g of native woodland was an<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>tegral part of most farms across <str<strong>on</strong>g>Wales</str<strong>on</strong>g> to provide timber and<br />
fuel. Tree cover was seen as supportive of productive farm<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g.<br />
It provided shade and shelter for animals, and was also part of<br />
hedgerows and improved <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> efficiency of water use by crops.<br />
Dur<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> 20 th Century, as farm<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g methods <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>tensified<br />
and as <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> Forestry Commissi<strong>on</strong> and o<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>r estate owners<br />
established large c<strong>on</strong>ifer plantati<strong>on</strong>s, woodlands came to be seen<br />
by farmers as an alternative to agriculture ra<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>r than an <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>tegral<br />
part of it. Meanwhile <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> Comm<strong>on</strong> Agricultural Policy support<br />
payments provided a powerful <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>centive to overgraze farm<br />
woodlands lead<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g to habitat loss and lack of regenerati<strong>on</strong>.<br />
However, s<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>ce 2005 farm payments have no l<strong>on</strong>ger been<br />
l<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>ked to livestock numbers, and this has provided an opportunity<br />
to restore <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> l<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>ks between farmland and woodland. Certa<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>ly this<br />
is <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>tenti<strong>on</strong> of Welsh Government policy:<br />
“ Most of <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> planned <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>crease <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> woodland cover <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Wales</str<strong>on</strong>g> is<br />
likely to come from new woodlands <strong>on</strong> farmland, provid<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g<br />
important ecosystem services, such as water management,<br />
habitat creati<strong>on</strong>, timber producti<strong>on</strong>, and local s<str<strong>on</strong>g>our</str<strong>on</strong>g>ces of fuel.” 5<br />
Farm<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g accounts for around 10 per cent of greenhouse<br />
gas emissi<strong>on</strong>s <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Wales</str<strong>on</strong>g>. Tree plant<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g will have some benefit<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> captur<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g atmospheric carb<strong>on</strong>. As a renewable energy<br />
s<str<strong>on</strong>g>our</str<strong>on</strong>g>ce wood fuel displaces fossil fuels and reduces <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> carb<strong>on</strong><br />
footpr<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>t of farms.<br />
However, <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>re are many o<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>r ways that woodland<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>Grow<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>our</str<strong>on</strong>g> woodlands <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Wales</str<strong>on</strong>g>: <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> 100,000 hectare challenge | 09
should be seen as compatible with good farm<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g outcomes.<br />
Shelterbelts of trees can have a positive effect <strong>on</strong> pasture growth<br />
by <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>creas<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g water <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>filtrati<strong>on</strong> and reduc<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g evapotranspirati<strong>on</strong><br />
loss. Shelter is an important factor <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> reduc<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g exposure and<br />
improv<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g survival <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> lambs.<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>Woodlands</str<strong>on</strong>g> <strong>on</strong> farms can also help mitigate <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> chang<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g<br />
wea<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>r patterns that we can expect to occur as a result<br />
of climate change <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> com<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g decades. W<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>ter ra<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>fall<br />
is projected to <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>crease with a greater frequency of severe<br />
ra<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>storms and gales. Lower summer ra<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>fall is also expected<br />
with higher temperatures that will <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>crease heat stress to<br />
livestock. In turn this can affect milk yield and herd fertility of<br />
dairy animals, and affect <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> welfare of o<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>r livestock. Plant<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g<br />
native trees provides important shade for livestock and reduces<br />
air temperature.<br />
Buffer strips of trees al<strong>on</strong>g waterc<str<strong>on</strong>g>our</str<strong>on</strong>g>ses and c<strong>on</strong>t<str<strong>on</strong>g>our</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
plant<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g of tree and hedges <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>creases water <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>filtrati<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>to <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
soil, reduces sedimentati<strong>on</strong> and runoff manure and fertilizer<br />
follow<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g heavy ra<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>fall. It can also improve water quality and<br />
reduce risk of flood<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g.<br />
In a case study <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> 2011 UK Ecosystem Assessment<br />
report, <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> benefits of farm<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g were compared with woodland<br />
creati<strong>on</strong> across <str<strong>on</strong>g>Wales</str<strong>on</strong>g>. In <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> study <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> value of agricultural<br />
producti<strong>on</strong> per hectare was measured aga<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>st <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> ecosystem<br />
services provided by woodlands – timber, carb<strong>on</strong> storage, and<br />
recreati<strong>on</strong>. When all <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>se benefits were taken <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>to account,<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> study judged that woodland was a more beneficial land<br />
use than agriculture across a large proporti<strong>on</strong> of <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> Welsh<br />
landscape. In particular, <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> report highlighted <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> benefits<br />
of <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>vest<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>creased woodland res<str<strong>on</strong>g>our</str<strong>on</strong>g>ces near <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> urban<br />
areas of sou<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>astern and nor<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>astern <str<strong>on</strong>g>Wales</str<strong>on</strong>g>.<br />
The study drew attenti<strong>on</strong> to <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> disc<strong>on</strong>nect between<br />
where forest cover <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Wales</str<strong>on</strong>g> is currently most c<strong>on</strong>centrated, <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> remote uplands, and where it would have most impact, <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
lower-ly<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g areas nearer urban centres, and c<strong>on</strong>cluded:<br />
“ This clearly answers <str<strong>on</strong>g>our</str<strong>on</strong>g> questi<strong>on</strong> regard<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g why we should<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>corporate <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> ec<strong>on</strong>omic and social values of ecosystem<br />
services <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>to decisi<strong>on</strong> mak<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g. If we fail to do so, <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> market<br />
al<strong>on</strong>e will dictate <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> allocati<strong>on</strong> of res<str<strong>on</strong>g>our</str<strong>on</strong>g>ces. While markets<br />
can efficiently allocate goods whose market prices roughly<br />
reflect social values, <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>y fail to provide <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> socially optimal<br />
allocati<strong>on</strong> of unpriced n<strong>on</strong>-market goods, <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>clud<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g many<br />
ecosystem services. Only by directly address<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g this failure<br />
will markets be corrected to <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> po<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>t that <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>y can be left<br />
to provide <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> goods and services that society both wants<br />
and needs.” 6<br />
In <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> debate over expand<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g <str<strong>on</strong>g>Wales</str<strong>on</strong>g>’ woodland cover <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>re is<br />
an <strong>on</strong>go<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g tensi<strong>on</strong> between <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> demands of susta<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>ability and<br />
c<strong>on</strong>servati<strong>on</strong>. As <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> Countryside Council for <str<strong>on</strong>g>Wales</str<strong>on</strong>g> put it:<br />
“ The benefits of woodland expansi<strong>on</strong> needs to be set aga<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>st<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> range of different ecosystem services that a more open<br />
landscape and o<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>r habitats can provide…<br />
The 100,000 hectare plant<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g target appears to have been<br />
approved without a Welsh Government policy assessment<br />
to highlight potential risks <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> relati<strong>on</strong> to o<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>r policies<br />
and strategies. From <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> Countryside Council for <str<strong>on</strong>g>Wales</str<strong>on</strong>g>’s<br />
perspective, <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> greatest risk is that <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> target <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>creases <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
pressure to plant <strong>on</strong> semi-natural habitat, particularly <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
UK’s Biodiversity Acti<strong>on</strong> Plan habitat. 7 This puts at risk <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
ability of <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> Welsh Government to meet Outcome 19 of <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
Envir<strong>on</strong>ment Strategy: ‘The loss of biodiversity has been<br />
halted and we can see a def<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>ite recovery <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> number,<br />
range and genetic diversity of species….’ The <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>dicators for<br />
this outcome are trends <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> Biodiversity Acti<strong>on</strong> Plan species<br />
and habitats. 8 The orig<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>al <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>ternati<strong>on</strong>al target for halt<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g<br />
biodiversity loss was 2010, but this was not met and <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
target has been deferred to 2020.” 9<br />
10 | <str<strong>on</strong>g>Grow<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>our</str<strong>on</strong>g> woodlands <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Wales</str<strong>on</strong>g>: <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> 100,000 hectare challenge
Yet <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>re is too often a zero sum game played when <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
opportunities for plant<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g more woodland <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> extensive<br />
ffridd areas of <str<strong>on</strong>g>Wales</str<strong>on</strong>g> are set aga<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>st anticipated habitat loss. 10<br />
The new, largely broadleaf woodlands be<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g proposed by<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> 100,000 hectare policy will provide new habitats and<br />
biodiversity opportunities that will replace <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> old.<br />
Notes<br />
5 Welsh Government, <str<strong>on</strong>g>Woodlands</str<strong>on</strong>g> for <str<strong>on</strong>g>Wales</str<strong>on</strong>g>, 2009.<br />
6 The UK Nati<strong>on</strong>al Ecosystem Assessment: Syn<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>sis of <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> Key<br />
F<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>d<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>gs, UNEP-WCMC, Cambridge, p, 43, 2011.<br />
7 The list of habitats and species of Pr<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>cipal Importance to <str<strong>on</strong>g>Wales</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
are listed <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> Secti<strong>on</strong> 42 of <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> Natural Envir<strong>on</strong>ment and Rural<br />
Communities Act 2006.<br />
8 Envir<strong>on</strong>ment Stategy for <str<strong>on</strong>g>Wales</str<strong>on</strong>g>. 2006.<br />
9 Countryside Council for <str<strong>on</strong>g>Wales</str<strong>on</strong>g> resp<strong>on</strong>se to a survey carried out as<br />
part of this report.<br />
10 There is no English translati<strong>on</strong> for ‘ffridd’ which is used to<br />
describe <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> habitats present between <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> uplands and lowlands<br />
of <str<strong>on</strong>g>Wales</str<strong>on</strong>g>. It is a diverse mixture of grass and heathland with<br />
bracken, scrub (often hawthorn and gorse) or rock exposures<br />
and may also <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>clude flushes, mires, streams and stand<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g water.<br />
The ffridd z<strong>on</strong>e is difficult to def<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>e <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> terms of a s<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>gle vegetati<strong>on</strong><br />
community as its primary characteristic is a collecti<strong>on</strong> of various<br />
habitats. It can perhaps be best described as <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> mosaic of<br />
fragmented and diverse habitats found at <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>terface of <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
uplands and lowlands. It is almost exclusively found <strong>on</strong> slopes,<br />
particularly those areas that cannot be effectively farmed due<br />
to steepness or <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> frequency of rock outcrops and scree. Ffridd<br />
may also develop <strong>on</strong> previous areas of c<strong>on</strong>ifer plantati<strong>on</strong> which<br />
has yet to be re-planted.<br />
11
CASE STUDY—<br />
Trees for shelter,<br />
fuel and wildlife<br />
Somert<strong>on</strong> Farm, Castle Mart<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>, Pembrokeshire<br />
Holly Harris and her husband run <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> 22 hectare Somert<strong>on</strong><br />
Farm <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> Pembrokeshire. They have 23 Dexter suckler cattle, a<br />
small flock of chickens and grow <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>ir own vegetables. Twenty<br />
years ago Mrs Harris planted 2,000 native trees <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> a two hectare<br />
field of limited agricultural value.<br />
Now that field has become a wood that supplies <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
farmhouse’s two wood burn<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g stoves, sav<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g hundreds of<br />
pounds a year. It also shelters <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> farmhouse and <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> vegetable<br />
plot from <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> fierce coastal w<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>ds and provides a sheltered spot<br />
for <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> chickens.<br />
The young woodland has a number of o<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>r uses, “I<br />
have put stock <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> it for short periods when I’ve needed to”,<br />
says Mrs Harris. “They love it and <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>y do surpris<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>gly little<br />
damage.” Wildlife is <strong>on</strong>e of Mrs Harris’ passi<strong>on</strong>s; <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> new<br />
woodland has become a haven for nature.<br />
“It’s also a great place for walk<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g dogs. It’s where we take<br />
folks who come to visit <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> farm. We’re very lucky to have it.”<br />
Mrs Harris recently acquired a small area of additi<strong>on</strong>al land<br />
and is keen to f<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>d out more about <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> new Glastir Woodland<br />
Creati<strong>on</strong> grants, which offer up to £9,000 per hectare for tree<br />
plant<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g. “I’m <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>terested <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> plant<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g trees that will produce<br />
fruits and berries and also quick-grow<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g trees that we can<br />
coppice, that we will be able to make use of.”<br />
“ I’m <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>creas<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>gly aware that, because of climate change,<br />
shade and shelter is go<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g to become more important <strong>on</strong><br />
farms. My message to o<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>r farmers and landowners would<br />
be ‘<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>vest <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> tree plant<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g now’. When we planted <str<strong>on</strong>g>our</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
wood, we never realised how much it would mean to us.<br />
It’s become such an asset <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> so many ways. There are lots<br />
of problems <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> world, and <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> answer to very many of<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>m is: ‘plant more trees’.”<br />
“ People have come to see <str<strong>on</strong>g>our</str<strong>on</strong>g> wood and have said to us: ‘I<br />
wish I’d planted trees years ago, so <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>y’d be like this now’.<br />
Hopefully we’ll still be around to see this wood when it’s 40<br />
years old.”<br />
S<str<strong>on</strong>g>our</str<strong>on</strong>g>ce: Coed Cadw/Woodland Trust, Trees for farms <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Wales</str<strong>on</strong>g>, 2011.<br />
12 | <str<strong>on</strong>g>Grow<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>our</str<strong>on</strong>g> woodlands <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Wales</str<strong>on</strong>g>: <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> 100,000 hectare challenge
— 3—<br />
F<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>ancial <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>centives for<br />
plant<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g more trees<br />
Currently <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> major f<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>ancial <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>centives for farmers and<br />
landowners to <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>crease <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>ir woodland are operated through<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> Welsh Government’s Glastir programme, which can<br />
provide grants of up to £9,000 per hectare over a 15-year<br />
period. This <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>cludes m<strong>on</strong>ey for establish<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> woodland, plus<br />
a fenc<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g grant and an <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>come foreg<strong>on</strong>e payment, called <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
Glastir Woodland Creati<strong>on</strong> Premium.<br />
O<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>r potential s<str<strong>on</strong>g>our</str<strong>on</strong>g>ces of f<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>ancial <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>centives are <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
taxati<strong>on</strong> system and develop<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g a voluntary carb<strong>on</strong> market<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> which companies and <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>dividuals voluntarily <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>vest <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> tree<br />
plant<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g to offset <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> emissi<strong>on</strong>s <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>y produce through travel<br />
and o<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>r activities.<br />
Currently <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> tax system is broadly neutral so far as<br />
forestry is c<strong>on</strong>cerned. Income realized through <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> sale of<br />
timber is exempt from <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>come tax. There is no capital ga<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>s tax<br />
<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> ga<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> value of commercial tree crops and forestry is<br />
also exempt from <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>heritance tax, so l<strong>on</strong>g as <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> land has been<br />
owned for at least two years. This is broadly fav<str<strong>on</strong>g>our</str<strong>on</strong>g>able to<br />
owners of woodland and also has <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> advantage of provid<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g a<br />
level play<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g field for foreign <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>vestors.<br />
There is <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> precedent that <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> 1970s and 1980s<br />
(until 1987) <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>re was tax relief for those <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>vest<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> forestry,<br />
broadly analogous to tax relief <strong>on</strong> house mortgages, and this<br />
did enc<str<strong>on</strong>g>our</str<strong>on</strong>g>age a good deal of private landowners to plant more<br />
trees. However, <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>re were problems with tax avoidance and it<br />
seems unlikely that <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> Treasury will be persuaded to embark<br />
<strong>on</strong> such a c<str<strong>on</strong>g>our</str<strong>on</strong>g>se <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> present ec<strong>on</strong>omic climate.<br />
A more promis<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g route for f<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>ancial <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>centives to<br />
landowners to plant trees might be for <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>dividuals and bus<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>ess<br />
to pay voluntarily to offset <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>ir carb<strong>on</strong> emissi<strong>on</strong>s. For example,<br />
accord<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g to <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> Woodland Trust, a £25 d<strong>on</strong>ati<strong>on</strong> will create<br />
25 square metres of woodland, enough to capture and store<br />
1 t<strong>on</strong>ne of carb<strong>on</strong> dioxide dur<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g its lifetime. An average car<br />
user, who annually travels 9,000 miles produc<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g 3 t<strong>on</strong>nes of<br />
carb<strong>on</strong>, would <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>refore have to d<strong>on</strong>ate £75 a year to offset<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>se emissi<strong>on</strong>s. In July 2011 <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> UK Government approved a<br />
Woodland Carb<strong>on</strong> Code, which provides a best practice guide<br />
for organisati<strong>on</strong>s wish<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g to remove CO 2 from <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> atmosphere. 11<br />
There are obvious difficulties with produc<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g such a<br />
voluntary scheme that achieved an impact <strong>on</strong> any scale. How<br />
should <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> scheme be promoted? How do you br<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>vestors<br />
and landowners toge<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>r? It could be argued, however, that<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>Wales</str<strong>on</strong>g> has <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> advantage of a relatively small scale <strong>on</strong> which<br />
to make a scheme work. To be effective it would need <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
Welsh Government to take <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> lead, probably work<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g through<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> new S<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>gle Envir<strong>on</strong>mental Body that is be<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g created as a<br />
result of <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> merger of <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> Countryside Council for <str<strong>on</strong>g>Wales</str<strong>on</strong>g>, <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
Envir<strong>on</strong>ment Agency <str<strong>on</strong>g>Wales</str<strong>on</strong>g>, and Forestry Commissi<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Wales</str<strong>on</strong>g>.<br />
Certa<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>ly, it would be an opportunity to enhance <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> image<br />
of a country whose government has declared susta<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>able<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>Grow<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>our</str<strong>on</strong>g> woodlands <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Wales</str<strong>on</strong>g>: <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> 100,000 hectare challenge | 13
development to be its central organis<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g pr<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>ciple.<br />
The reality is, however, that for <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> foreseeable<br />
future <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> grants available under <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> Welsh Government’s<br />
Glastir Woodland Creati<strong>on</strong> scheme are likely to be <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
overwhelm<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>gly important f<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>ancial mechanism available<br />
to persuade farmers, <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> particular, to plant more trees. In<br />
this c<strong>on</strong>text it is enc<str<strong>on</strong>g>our</str<strong>on</strong>g>ag<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g that, accord<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g to a Forestry<br />
Commissi<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Wales</str<strong>on</strong>g> survey, undertaken <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> 2009, nearly three<br />
quarters of resp<strong>on</strong>dents showed some openness to apply<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g<br />
for woodland grants <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> future. 12 Moreover, 72 per cent of those<br />
questi<strong>on</strong>ed disagreed with <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> statement “I have no <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>terest<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> management of my woodland”. And whilst <strong>on</strong>e third felt<br />
that manag<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>ir woodlands would disrupt <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> smooth<br />
runn<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g of <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>ir farm<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g operati<strong>on</strong>, 58 per cent disagreed that<br />
this would be <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> case. All this suggests a will<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>gness am<strong>on</strong>gst<br />
farmers to c<strong>on</strong>sider manag<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>ir woodland res<str<strong>on</strong>g>our</str<strong>on</strong>g>ces.<br />
Yet of all Better <str<strong>on</strong>g>Woodlands</str<strong>on</strong>g> for <str<strong>on</strong>g>Wales</str<strong>on</strong>g> c<strong>on</strong>tract holders,<br />
<strong>on</strong>ly 13 per cent were farmers. 13 The Welsh Government’s<br />
Glastir programme, which replaces Better <str<strong>on</strong>g>Woodlands</str<strong>on</strong>g> for<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>Wales</str<strong>on</strong>g> and f<str<strong>on</strong>g>our</str<strong>on</strong>g> o<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>r agri-envir<strong>on</strong>ment schemes, is <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> part<br />
aimed at enc<str<strong>on</strong>g>our</str<strong>on</strong>g>ag<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g work to be undertaken <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> currently<br />
unmanaged farm woodlands.<br />
Two elements of Glastir are particularly targeted at<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>creas<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g woodland creati<strong>on</strong> and management: <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> targeted<br />
element, which is designed to “deliver significant improvements<br />
to <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> envir<strong>on</strong>mental status of a range of habitats, species, soils<br />
and water”; and <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> woodlands element, which will promote<br />
woodland creati<strong>on</strong> and management. 14<br />
Under Glastir Woodland Creati<strong>on</strong>, identificati<strong>on</strong> of<br />
land suitable for plant<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g is made accord<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g to classificati<strong>on</strong><br />
of all available land as ‘red’ (unsuitable), ‘amber’ (potentially<br />
suitable) or ‘green’ (suitable). Rapid implementati<strong>on</strong> of<br />
Glastir has meant that a significant amount of land has been<br />
classified as unsuitable for plant<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g. There was a lack of time to<br />
c<strong>on</strong>duct full surveys and resp<strong>on</strong>d to detailed discussi<strong>on</strong>s with<br />
o<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>r organisati<strong>on</strong>s. However, <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> plant<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g map is now be<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g<br />
revisited <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> an attempt to redesignate parts of <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>se areas as<br />
‘amber’. In <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> l<strong>on</strong>ger term it is planned to produce a more<br />
sensitive resp<strong>on</strong>sive mapp<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g tool.<br />
Questi<strong>on</strong>ed about <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> likely effectiveness of Glastir and<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> best way to c<strong>on</strong>v<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>ce landowners to plant trees <strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>ir land,<br />
Woodland Agents described <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> mapp<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g system as a c<strong>on</strong>stra<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>t<br />
<strong>on</strong> land use that made <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> 100,000 hectare target “fanciful”.<br />
However, hav<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g compared <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> exist<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g map with applicati<strong>on</strong>s<br />
to date, Forestry Commissi<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Wales</str<strong>on</strong>g> has c<strong>on</strong>cluded that <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
maps might not be <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> most significant barrier to uptake. There<br />
rema<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> areas that are identified both as suitable for plant<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g and<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> agriculturally marg<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>al, upland or bracken-land locati<strong>on</strong>s –<br />
which <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> Land Use and Climate Change Group proposed as <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
most preferable locati<strong>on</strong> for plant<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g – but which have not yet<br />
received Glastir grants for woodland creati<strong>on</strong>.<br />
Forestry Commissi<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Wales</str<strong>on</strong>g> officials have c<strong>on</strong>cluded<br />
that <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>re might <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>refore be an <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>formati<strong>on</strong> deficit am<strong>on</strong>g<br />
potential grant recipients. This view receives some support from<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> Commissi<strong>on</strong>’s 2009 survey of farmers. It revealed that 23<br />
per cent of resp<strong>on</strong>dents were not aware of previous woodland<br />
grant schemes and that 28 per cent might be persuaded to apply<br />
for a future grant if <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>y had “more <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>formati<strong>on</strong> about what is<br />
available”. Meanwhile, 83 per cent of resp<strong>on</strong>dents agreed with<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> statement that, “I d<strong>on</strong>’t have enough <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>formati<strong>on</strong> about what<br />
I should do with woodland <strong>on</strong> my farm”.<br />
O<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>r potential barriers identified <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> 2009 survey<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>cluded <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> lack of available time to manage farm woodlands<br />
(identified by 63 per cent of resp<strong>on</strong>dents), <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> prohibitive<br />
expense <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>volved <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> management (48 per cent), and <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> fact<br />
that “trees are not worth enough to harvest” (39 per cent).<br />
Woodland Agents highlighted a reluctance am<strong>on</strong>g<br />
farmers to c<strong>on</strong>vert good quality agricultural land to woodland.<br />
However, most farmers appear happy to plant unimproved<br />
land. For this to happen, ec<strong>on</strong>omic returns are undoubtedly<br />
14 | <str<strong>on</strong>g>Grow<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>our</str<strong>on</strong>g> woodlands <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Wales</str<strong>on</strong>g>: <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> 100,000 hectare challenge
<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> most important driver for plant<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g, with <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> removal of<br />
obstacles – most particularly bureaucratic <strong>on</strong>es – as a sec<strong>on</strong>d<br />
critical factor.<br />
In Scotland <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> Forestry Commissi<strong>on</strong> helps to remove<br />
such ‘obstacles’ by tak<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g <strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> tree plant<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g task from start to<br />
f<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>ish. Once a farmer has expressed an <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>terest <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> plant<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g an<br />
area, <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> Commissi<strong>on</strong> offers to lease that area from <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> farmer<br />
with appropriate provisi<strong>on</strong> for access. The Commissi<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>n<br />
plants <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> land and ma<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>ta<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>s it for between 10 and 15 years<br />
while pay<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g a rent to <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> farmer. After that time, <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> land goes<br />
back to <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> farmer as an established woodland. The scheme<br />
would not work for many farmers s<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>ce it results <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>ir los<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>ir eligibility for <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> CAP S<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>gle Farm Payment. However, it<br />
might be of <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>terest to some n<strong>on</strong>-farm<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g owners.<br />
The reality rema<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>s that, especially given <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> present<br />
prices for lamb and cattle, <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>centive payments are unlikely to<br />
persuade many farms to plan woodlands <strong>on</strong> improved land.<br />
The aim must <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>refore be to direct <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> available res<str<strong>on</strong>g>our</str<strong>on</strong>g>ces<br />
to persuad<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g farmers to plant<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g <strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> unimproved land <strong>on</strong><br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>ir farms.<br />
For Glastir woodland creati<strong>on</strong> to be effective, officials<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>volved <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> design of <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> programme stress <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> “legacy<br />
element” of woodlands. They see a need to persuade young<br />
farmers to realise that <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>re are opportunities for ec<strong>on</strong>omic and<br />
envir<strong>on</strong>mental benefits over <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> l<strong>on</strong>ger term. The reducti<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
use of home-grown wood <strong>on</strong> farms for fenc<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g and firewood<br />
has led to a reducti<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> quality of available timber and a<br />
disc<strong>on</strong>necti<strong>on</strong> between many farmers and <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>ir woods. It will<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>refore be a challenge to c<strong>on</strong>v<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>ce farmers that it is worth<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>ir while to become <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>volved <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> woodland activity. Yet unless<br />
this challenge is met, <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> prospect of farmers committ<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g to a<br />
15-year c<strong>on</strong>tract for a Glastir woodland risks be<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g prohibitive,<br />
especially s<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>ce immediate ec<strong>on</strong>omic ga<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> from new<br />
woodlands is likely to be limited.<br />
All <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>se c<strong>on</strong>stra<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>ts go some way to expla<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> why dur<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> first two years of its operati<strong>on</strong>, to <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> end of May 2012, <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
uptake of Glastir woodland creati<strong>on</strong> schemes was relatively<br />
small. Dur<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g that period <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>re were 227 projects where<br />
plant<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g took place and for which payment was made, cover<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g<br />
666 hectares – an average of 2.83 hectares per project. In<br />
additi<strong>on</strong> ano<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>r 140 applicati<strong>on</strong>s were approved dur<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
period, cover<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g a fur<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>r 516 hectares, but <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>se have yet to<br />
be planted. Although this is slow progress <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> relati<strong>on</strong> to <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> 20<br />
year 100,000 hectare target, it still represents an advance <strong>on</strong><br />
what was achieved under <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> previous Better <str<strong>on</strong>g>Woodlands</str<strong>on</strong>g> for<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>Wales</str<strong>on</strong>g> and Tir Gofal schemes.<br />
Notes<br />
11 The Code provides reassurance to buyers and sellers that <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
account<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g is correctly undertaken and <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> carb<strong>on</strong> is secured for<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> l<strong>on</strong>g term. An associated register provides reassurance that<br />
areas will not be double sold.<br />
12 Forestry Commissi<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Wales</str<strong>on</strong>g>, A survey of farmers with woodland <strong>on</strong><br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>ir land, 2009.<br />
13 Better <str<strong>on</strong>g>Woodlands</str<strong>on</strong>g> for <str<strong>on</strong>g>Wales</str<strong>on</strong>g> was <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> Forestry Commissi<strong>on</strong><br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>Wales</str<strong>on</strong>g> precursor grant scheme to Glastir. It was tailored to deliver<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> Welsh Government’s 2009 Woodland Strategy, <str<strong>on</strong>g>Woodlands</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
for <str<strong>on</strong>g>Wales</str<strong>on</strong>g>.<br />
14 http://www.wales.gov.uk/topics/envir<strong>on</strong>mentcountryside/<br />
farm<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>gandcountryside/farm<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g/glastirhome/?lang=en<br />
16 | <str<strong>on</strong>g>Grow<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>our</str<strong>on</strong>g> woodlands <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Wales</str<strong>on</strong>g>: <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> 100,000 hectare challenge
CASE STUDY—<br />
Fuel and carb<strong>on</strong><br />
Upper Nant-y-Fel<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>, Bwlch near Brec<strong>on</strong><br />
This is an 80 hectare upland sheep and beef hold<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> Bwlch<br />
near Brec<strong>on</strong>, farmed by <strong>on</strong>e of <str<strong>on</strong>g>Wales</str<strong>on</strong>g>’ most enterpris<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g young<br />
farmers, 27-year-old Mat<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>w Vaughan. It has been fully<br />
organic for three years and has 500 ewes and 20 suckler cows.<br />
Keen to make <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> fullest use of <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> farm’s steep,<br />
bracken covered slopes, he has planted around 3,000 mixed<br />
hard and softwoods, restored 6,000 metres of hedgerows<br />
and created two new orchards, through Tir Gofal. The farm’s<br />
trees already provide significant f<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>ancial benefits. Mat<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>w’s<br />
three wood burn<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g stoves fed exclusively from his own wood<br />
provide heat for <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> farmhouse. This saves £100s a year.<br />
Mat<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>w also produces his own hea<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>r<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>gs, <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> hooks of<br />
hazel used <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> hedge-lay<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g.<br />
“ I reck<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> carb<strong>on</strong> footpr<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>t is go<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g to become<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>creas<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>gly important <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> future”, he says. “By plant<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g<br />
trees I can create a more diverse habitat, reduce <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
carb<strong>on</strong> footpr<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>t and <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> l<strong>on</strong>g term, reduce <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> farm’s<br />
dependence <strong>on</strong> materials that need to be bought <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>. It<br />
takes time for trees to establish <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>mselves, and that’s all<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> more reas<strong>on</strong> to start now”.<br />
“ The Glastir Woodland Creati<strong>on</strong> Grants, of up to £9,000<br />
per ha over 15 years, plus £3.15 per metre of new fenc<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g,<br />
look like a great opportunity for farmers. I’m certa<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>ly keen<br />
to plant up some of <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> very steep, bracken-covered slopes<br />
at Upper Nant-y-Fel<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>, to make <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> best possible of use of<br />
land which has a limited use for agriculture.”<br />
S<str<strong>on</strong>g>our</str<strong>on</strong>g>ce: Coed Cadw/Woodland Trust, Trees for farms <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Wales</str<strong>on</strong>g>, 2011.<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>Grow<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>our</str<strong>on</strong>g> woodlands <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Wales</str<strong>on</strong>g>: <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> 100,000 hectare challenge | 17
— 4—<br />
Impact of CAP reform<br />
Woodland creati<strong>on</strong> and management sits at <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> edge of <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
Comm<strong>on</strong> Agricultural Policy (CAP) s<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>ce <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> European Uni<strong>on</strong><br />
has no formal powers over forestry. Never<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>less, Glastir (as was<br />
Better <str<strong>on</strong>g>Woodlands</str<strong>on</strong>g> for <str<strong>on</strong>g>Wales</str<strong>on</strong>g> before it) is funded through European<br />
s<str<strong>on</strong>g>our</str<strong>on</strong>g>ces. This means that it rema<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>s tied to <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> CAP’s policy goals and<br />
associated fund<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g criteria.<br />
While Glastir has been designed to operate with<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> exist<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g<br />
policy c<strong>on</strong>text, discussi<strong>on</strong>s are <strong>on</strong>go<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g about <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> c<strong>on</strong>tent of <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
new CAP, which is due to take effect from 1 January 2014. The early<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>dicati<strong>on</strong>s are that, as currently envisaged, <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> proposed reforms do<br />
not bode well for woodland creati<strong>on</strong>.<br />
The CAP, which accounts for around 50 per cent of <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> EU’s<br />
budget, is divided <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>to two categories, referred to as Pillar 1 and Pillar<br />
2. Spend<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g under Rural Development Regulati<strong>on</strong> is referred to as<br />
Pillar 2, and aimed at support<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g rural communities to develop and<br />
diversify. The range of measures <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>cludes: agri-envir<strong>on</strong>ment (Glastir<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Wales</str<strong>on</strong>g>), farm adaptati<strong>on</strong>, forestry, process<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g and market<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g of<br />
agricultural produce, tra<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g><str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g and development, and less fav<str<strong>on</strong>g>our</str<strong>on</strong>g>ed<br />
area support. To secure European fund<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g for Pillar 2 measures<br />
Member States (or regi<strong>on</strong>s with<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>m) are required to prepare a<br />
Rural Development Plan.<br />
Under <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> projected changes, although at least seven per<br />
cent of land <strong>on</strong> each farm will be designated as ecological reserve, it<br />
is also proposed that <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> proporti<strong>on</strong> of land given over to permanent<br />
grassland (land that has been laid to grass for five or more years)<br />
should be ma<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>ta<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>ed at <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> farm-hold<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g level, ra<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>r than at <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
member state level. Farms will have five per cent flexibility, but any<br />
reducti<strong>on</strong>s <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> grassland up to this level will most probably occur to<br />
make way for farm tracks, hard-stand<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g or build<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>gs. Anticipat<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g<br />
a need for such development, farmers are <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>refore unlikely to risk<br />
us<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>ir allowance for <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> c<strong>on</strong>versi<strong>on</strong> of grassland to woodland.<br />
The previous CAP had a get-out clause for forestry. Grassland<br />
could be switched to woodland provided that <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>re were ecological<br />
ga<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>s. Under <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> proposed changes to <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> Direct payments<br />
regulati<strong>on</strong>s it is likely to prove more difficult to turn grassland <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>to<br />
woodland. As a result, and if <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> reforms are passed, Glastir’s<br />
woodland creati<strong>on</strong> objectives would become unworkable <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>ir<br />
current form.<br />
Meanwhile, ano<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>r major issue with <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> current proposals<br />
for CAP reform post 2013 is <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> proposed removal of Income<br />
Foreg<strong>on</strong>e Payments if farmers choose to plant new woodland.<br />
There is no doubt that remov<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> opti<strong>on</strong> of <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>come foreg<strong>on</strong>e<br />
payment would act as a dis<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>centive for woodland plant<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Wales</str<strong>on</strong>g>.<br />
The capital value of land immediately falls <strong>on</strong>ce it is planted with<br />
woodland. If <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>re were to be no c<strong>on</strong>t<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>ued revenue stream through<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>come foreg<strong>on</strong>e payments, <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>n farms would be presented with a<br />
dis<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>centive for plant<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g trees.<br />
The Danish Presidency recently proposed a revised text that<br />
restores <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>come foreg<strong>on</strong>e elements. This must be supported by<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> Welsh Government <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> its negotiati<strong>on</strong>s with <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> Department for<br />
Envir<strong>on</strong>ment Food and Rural Affairs and <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> Eurpoean Commissi<strong>on</strong><br />
as it will aid Welsh Government achieve its plant<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g targets.<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>Grow<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>our</str<strong>on</strong>g> woodlands <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Wales</str<strong>on</strong>g>: <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> 100,000 hectare challenge | 19
CASE STUDY—<br />
Timber and farm use<br />
Hendre Llwyn-y-Ma<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>, Llangernyw, North <str<strong>on</strong>g>Wales</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
Rob<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> Crossley, has a successful sheep farm of around 162<br />
hectares at Llangernyw near Llanwrst <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> C<strong>on</strong>wy Valley.<br />
He planted 10,000 trees <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> spr<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g 2009, most native trees like<br />
blackthorn and hawthorn, hazel, oak, ash, birch and alder.<br />
Shoot<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g is an important part of <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> farm bus<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>ess and<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> trees play a crucial role <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> provid<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g cover. But it will not<br />
just be pheasants that will be found <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>re. Rob<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> is delighted<br />
that <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>y will also provide a habitat for wild birds: chaff<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>ches,<br />
wagtails, wrens, rob<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>s and thrushes to name but a few.<br />
Al<strong>on</strong>gside <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> native trees, Rob<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> has planted 5000<br />
Christmas trees, as a cash crop. Most of <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> native woodland<br />
planted is made up of field corners and narrow belts. “I see it<br />
as a legacy for <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> future”, he says. “People who come down<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> road from Llansannan could see noth<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g 30 years ago.<br />
Now <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>y see a wooded landscape, that changes throughout<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> year.”<br />
Timber also forms part of <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> farm bus<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>ess. An<br />
established 3 ha wood <strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> farm has good straight trees.<br />
These can be felled and milled less than a mile away.<br />
“We used some of <str<strong>on</strong>g>our</str<strong>on</strong>g> own timber to build a new oak<br />
staircase <strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> farm,” says Rob<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>. “It would have cost over<br />
£2,000 to buy <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> wood. We used <str<strong>on</strong>g>our</str<strong>on</strong>g> own and it looks great.”<br />
Their farmhouse has three wood burn<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g stoves,<br />
and <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> tops of <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> trees felled for lumber are more than<br />
enough to provide all its heat<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g needs. “My feel<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g is that<br />
if Welsh farmers are given half decent <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>centives to create<br />
and manage <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>ir woodlands, us<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g Glastir m<strong>on</strong>ey, <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>y’ll<br />
resp<strong>on</strong>d,” Rob<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> c<strong>on</strong>cludes.<br />
S<str<strong>on</strong>g>our</str<strong>on</strong>g>ce: Coed Cadw/Woodland Trust, Trees for farms <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Wales</str<strong>on</strong>g>, 2011.<br />
20 | <str<strong>on</strong>g>Grow<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>our</str<strong>on</strong>g> woodlands <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Wales</str<strong>on</strong>g>: <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> 100,000 hectare challenge
— 5—<br />
An ec<strong>on</strong>omic approach<br />
to woodland creati<strong>on</strong><br />
As was <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> case with Better <str<strong>on</strong>g>Woodlands</str<strong>on</strong>g> for <str<strong>on</strong>g>Wales</str<strong>on</strong>g>, Glastir<br />
is funded by <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> European Commissi<strong>on</strong> and is hence<br />
governed by <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> need to comply with <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> current EU<br />
Rural Development Regulati<strong>on</strong>s. These specifically relate<br />
to improvement of <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> envir<strong>on</strong>ment and countryside<br />
through better land management. The n<strong>on</strong>-ec<strong>on</strong>omic<br />
focus of woodland creati<strong>on</strong> and management programmes<br />
is <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>dicated by <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> nature of <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> current regulati<strong>on</strong>s. For<br />
example, fast grow<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g, short rotati<strong>on</strong> coppice species are<br />
excluded from grant aid. Funds received under Glastir are<br />
officially ‘compensati<strong>on</strong>’ for produc<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g envir<strong>on</strong>mental benefits<br />
at <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> cost of productivity. Given that Glastir woodlands<br />
will be under c<strong>on</strong>tract as l<strong>on</strong>g as 15 years, any significant<br />
ec<strong>on</strong>omic ga<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> from wood is unlikely before this time.<br />
However, those who work with landowners – <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
Forestry Commissi<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Wales</str<strong>on</strong>g>, <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> Welsh Government and<br />
as Woodland Agents – agree that <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> ec<strong>on</strong>omic rati<strong>on</strong>ale is<br />
a key driver for land use change and management. There<br />
is thus a significant tensi<strong>on</strong>. Although ec<strong>on</strong>omic outcomes<br />
go hand-<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>-hand with forestry, for <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> purpose of grant<br />
applicati<strong>on</strong>s <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>y must be c<strong>on</strong>sidered as sec<strong>on</strong>dary and<br />
cannot be actively promoted by <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> Welsh Government <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> lifetime of <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> grant c<strong>on</strong>tract.<br />
N<strong>on</strong>e<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>less, woodlands do have an ec<strong>on</strong>omic<br />
potential and this is calculated to appeal to farmers <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>ir decisi<strong>on</strong>s about plant<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g. Forestry Commissi<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Wales</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
already c<strong>on</strong>siders <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> firewood market to be a grow<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g<br />
future market, not least because firewood can be produced<br />
with relatively less skill and equipment than o<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>r products.<br />
The Welsh Government’s Bus<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>ess, Enterprise, Technology<br />
and Science Deptment acknowledges that <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>re are<br />
opportunities to be had from better <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>tegrat<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g woodland<br />
management with bus<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>ess and enterprise c<strong>on</strong>cerns,<br />
allow<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g forestry to engage with commercial <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>terests ra<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>r<br />
than simply draw<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g down rural development fund<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g.<br />
One such opportunity was <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> launch <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> June 2012 of<br />
Community Energy <str<strong>on</strong>g>Wales</str<strong>on</strong>g>, a representative body to promote<br />
community-based renewable energy projects. Exist<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g<br />
areas of unmanaged trees represent an untapped res<str<strong>on</strong>g>our</str<strong>on</strong>g>ce<br />
<strong>on</strong> which communities could draw for <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> generati<strong>on</strong> of<br />
susta<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>able energy. With appropriate plann<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g and support,<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>re is scope for this res<str<strong>on</strong>g>our</str<strong>on</strong>g>ce to c<strong>on</strong>tribute both to a<br />
reducti<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> fuel poverty and to <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>creased <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>dependence<br />
from <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>ternati<strong>on</strong>al fuel markets.<br />
S<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>ce <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> 2005 publicati<strong>on</strong> of a report for Scottish<br />
Enterprise <strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> commercial opportunities of wood fuel<br />
22 | <str<strong>on</strong>g>Grow<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>our</str<strong>on</strong>g> woodlands <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Wales</str<strong>on</strong>g>: <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> 100,000 hectare challenge
heat<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g, 15 active efforts have been made to<br />
promote this heat<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g s<str<strong>on</strong>g>our</str<strong>on</strong>g>ce <strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> grounds<br />
of cost effectiveness, <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> envir<strong>on</strong>mental<br />
benefits of us<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g locally produced, low<br />
carb<strong>on</strong> fuel, security of supply, cleanl<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>ess<br />
and efficiency. 16 Peter Davies, <str<strong>on</strong>g>Wales</str<strong>on</strong>g>’<br />
Commissi<strong>on</strong>er for Susta<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>able Futures,<br />
advocates an approach that similarly<br />
advocates emissi<strong>on</strong>s reducti<strong>on</strong>s al<strong>on</strong>gside<br />
carb<strong>on</strong> sequestrati<strong>on</strong>.<br />
Notes<br />
15 Robert Rippengal, The Commercial Opportunities<br />
of Wood Fuel Heat<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> Scotland, Scottish<br />
Enterprise, 2005.<br />
16 See <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> Use Woodfuel Scotland website at<br />
http://www.usewoodfuel.co.uk<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>Grow<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>our</str<strong>on</strong>g> woodlands <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Wales</str<strong>on</strong>g>: <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> 100,000 hectare challenge | 23
CASE STUDY—<br />
New native woodland <strong>on</strong> a<br />
dairy farm: a w<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>n<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g comb<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>ati<strong>on</strong><br />
Penllwyncoch Farm,Waungilwen, Llandysul<br />
Huw Williams runs a 60 hectare dairy farm near Llandysul<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> Carmar<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>nshire with a herd of 100 dairy cows and 100<br />
followers. He planted 1.5 hectares of new native woodland <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
2010, oak, ash, wild cherry and birch with a mixture of shrubs,<br />
us<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g a Better <str<strong>on</strong>g>Woodlands</str<strong>on</strong>g> for <str<strong>on</strong>g>Wales</str<strong>on</strong>g> grant; and a fur<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>r 0.53<br />
hectares <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> 2011, us<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g a Glastir Woodland Creati<strong>on</strong> Grant.<br />
Penllwyncoch has about two hectares of exist<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g<br />
Woodland which Huw already makes good use of. He has<br />
th<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>ned <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> wood under <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> grant scheme and made use of <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
split oak posts which it has produced. He felled an area of larch<br />
about two years ago, us<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> timber for post and rail and<br />
fenc<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g posts <strong>on</strong> his farm. He also uses his own firewood, sav<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g<br />
£100s per year.<br />
From Huw’s perspective, plant<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g trees <strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> farm is<br />
about mak<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g it more productive: “I’ve planted trees to make <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
best use of land that would o<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>rwise be of limited value. I made<br />
use of grants to fell a number of exist<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g trees. If I’m go<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g to do<br />
that, it’s important to plant new <strong>on</strong>es to take <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>ir place.”<br />
Huw has found <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> Better <str<strong>on</strong>g>Woodlands</str<strong>on</strong>g> for <str<strong>on</strong>g>Wales</str<strong>on</strong>g> and<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> Glastir Woodland Creati<strong>on</strong> Grants easy to access, as <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
paperwork is largely sorted out by a Woodland Creati<strong>on</strong> Officer<br />
funded by <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> Forestry Commissi<strong>on</strong>. “Alis<strong>on</strong> Wheeler, who<br />
worked <strong>on</strong> my applicati<strong>on</strong>s, has been really helpful throughout<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> process”, he says.<br />
“ My advice to o<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>r farmers is that plant<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g trees is someth<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g<br />
that’s worth look<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g at. The grant rates currently available<br />
are very good. I’m not suggest<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g that farmers plant up<br />
whole fields or huge areas of land. But almost any farm will<br />
have field corners and steep areas that would be suitable,<br />
that would have little agricultural value, guaranteed!”<br />
“ The new Glastir Woodland Creati<strong>on</strong> Grants are a good<br />
deal for farmers as <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>y <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>clude additi<strong>on</strong>al payments for<br />
new fenc<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g. So creat<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g a new strip of woodland doesn’t<br />
just provide a crop of trees <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> future, it also provides a<br />
new stock-proof fence.”<br />
S<str<strong>on</strong>g>our</str<strong>on</strong>g>ce: Coed Cadw/Woodland Trust, Trees for farms <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Wales</str<strong>on</strong>g>, 2011.<br />
24 | <str<strong>on</strong>g>Grow<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>our</str<strong>on</strong>g> woodlands <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Wales</str<strong>on</strong>g>: <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> 100,000 hectare challenge
— 6—<br />
The Woodland Agents<br />
There are about 70 professi<strong>on</strong>al Woodland Agents operat<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Wales</str<strong>on</strong>g>. About twenty of <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>se are active <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> private<br />
sector and a similar number operate through Coed Cymru<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> public sector, ma<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>ly advis<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g local authorities. Under<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> current Glastir Woodland Creati<strong>on</strong> scheme many private<br />
sector Woodland Agents will operate as Project Officers, be<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g<br />
a po<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>t of liais<strong>on</strong> between <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> Welsh Government and Forestry<br />
Commissi<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Wales</str<strong>on</strong>g> <strong>on</strong> <strong>on</strong>e hand, and farmers and o<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>r<br />
landholders <strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> o<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>r.<br />
Woodland Agents have a dist<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>ctive perspective, mid<br />
way between <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> Welsh Government and Forestry Commissi<strong>on</strong><br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>Wales</str<strong>on</strong>g> and <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> landowners and various envir<strong>on</strong>mental<br />
organisati<strong>on</strong>s resp<strong>on</strong>sible for implement<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g policy. For <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
purpose of this study we <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>terviewed a sample of f<str<strong>on</strong>g>our</str<strong>on</strong>g> Agents<br />
work<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> private sector <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> different parts of <str<strong>on</strong>g>Wales</str<strong>on</strong>g>. 17<br />
All f<str<strong>on</strong>g>our</str<strong>on</strong>g> shared broadly <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> same view about <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
benefits that can accrue from <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>creas<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> woodland cover <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>Wales</str<strong>on</strong>g> - enhanced timber volumes, ec<strong>on</strong>omic activity, carb<strong>on</strong><br />
sequestrati<strong>on</strong>, and biodiversity – but all were sceptical about <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
100,000 hectare target. Most thought a target to enable progress<br />
to be measured could be helpful if policies designed to deliver<br />
it were <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> place. However, <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>y did not th<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>k that currently this<br />
was <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> case. As Neill Scott, of Newport <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> Pembrokeshire put it:<br />
“ The 100,000 hectare target is completely fanciful given <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
land use c<strong>on</strong>stra<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>ts imposed by <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> Countryside Council<br />
for <str<strong>on</strong>g>Wales</str<strong>on</strong>g> as shown <strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> Glastir Woodland Creati<strong>on</strong><br />
mapp<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g. This target reflects <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> extremely poor advice <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
Welsh Government is receiv<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g from civil servants.”<br />
David Edwards, of Llandovery, said:<br />
“ I d<strong>on</strong>’t th<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>k <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> 100 000ha target is close to be<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g realistic<br />
with <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> current policies and <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>centives.”<br />
All f<str<strong>on</strong>g>our</str<strong>on</strong>g> Agents had clear views about <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> attitudes and<br />
resp<strong>on</strong>ses of farmers to efforts to persuade <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>m to plant more<br />
woodland. David Edwards spoke for all when he said:<br />
“ Farmers and o<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>r landowners are generally reluctant to<br />
c<strong>on</strong>vert good agricultural land to woodland. This is especially<br />
true of farmers whose families have worked for generati<strong>on</strong>s to<br />
clear and improve land for agriculture. Where an ec<strong>on</strong>omic<br />
case can be made for woodland creati<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>n farmers and<br />
landowners are much more amenable to woodland creati<strong>on</strong>.”<br />
Andrew Br<strong>on</strong>w<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> said <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> important th<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g was not to put<br />
obstacles <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> way of farmers c<strong>on</strong>sider<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g plant<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g:<br />
“The traffic light maps and general bureaucracy d<strong>on</strong>’t help.”<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>Grow<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>our</str<strong>on</strong>g> woodlands <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Wales</str<strong>on</strong>g>: <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> 100,000 hectare challenge | 25
Neill Scott said:<br />
“ Farmers are farmers, not woodland owners. Many will be<br />
reluctant to plant improved land. The reality is that land<br />
values drop by £10,000 a hectare <strong>on</strong>ce planted with trees.<br />
Compensati<strong>on</strong> payments should reflect this. Most farmers<br />
appear happy to plant unimproved land. However, <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
Countryside Council for <str<strong>on</strong>g>Wales</str<strong>on</strong>g> will not allow plant<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g <strong>on</strong><br />
anyth<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g o<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>r than improved land.”<br />
N<strong>on</strong>e of <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> Management Planners believed that <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> Glastir<br />
scheme would be effective <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> persuad<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g farmers or o<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>r<br />
landowners to create more woodland. Neill Scott said it<br />
would “<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>effective” and Andrew Br<strong>on</strong>w<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> “marg<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>al”. David<br />
Edwards said:<br />
David Edwards said:<br />
“ At face value <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Woodlands</str<strong>on</strong>g> for <str<strong>on</strong>g>Wales</str<strong>on</strong>g> strategy is coherent.<br />
However, <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> practice it is not be<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g followed. Only certa<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
aspects are be<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g acti<strong>on</strong>ed when <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> success of <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> strategy<br />
relies <strong>on</strong> acti<strong>on</strong>s <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> comb<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>ati<strong>on</strong>. For example, productive<br />
woodland cover is be<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g reduced as a result of heathland<br />
and habitat restorati<strong>on</strong>, and species diversificati<strong>on</strong>. These are<br />
laudable aims but compensatory plant<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g as required by <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
strategy is not keep<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g pace with <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> losses.”<br />
“ Glastir has not been popular with farmers and landowners<br />
and <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> mere menti<strong>on</strong> of <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> word ‘Glastir’ turns off many<br />
farmers. The availability of land under <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> ‘traffic light’<br />
system is a serious obstacle to woodland creati<strong>on</strong>.”<br />
Mark Potter added:<br />
“ Unless it rebrands and displays a greater awareness of<br />
commercial needs its effectiveness will be limited.”<br />
Neill Scott said:<br />
“ The M<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>isterial approach of hav<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g a target and putt<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
f<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>ancial support <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> place is excellent. However, Envir<strong>on</strong>ment<br />
Agency <str<strong>on</strong>g>Wales</str<strong>on</strong>g> and <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> Countryside Council for <str<strong>on</strong>g>Wales</str<strong>on</strong>g> are<br />
aga<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>st plant<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g unless it is broadleaf species <strong>on</strong> improved<br />
land which is an <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>efficient use of good land.”<br />
Notes<br />
17 David Edwards of UPM Tihill, Llandovery; Neill Scott of Forest<br />
Management Cymru, Newport, Pembrokeshire; Mark Potter, of<br />
Abersenny Ltd, Grosm<strong>on</strong>t, Abergavenny; and Andrew Br<strong>on</strong>w<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>, of<br />
Andrew Br<strong>on</strong>w<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> & Co, Llandr<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>dod.<br />
26 | <str<strong>on</strong>g>Grow<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>our</str<strong>on</strong>g> woodlands <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Wales</str<strong>on</strong>g>: <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> 100,000 hectare challenge
— 7—<br />
Views of <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> landowners<br />
While <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> various land own<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g groups that will be resp<strong>on</strong>sible<br />
for implement<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> Welsh Government forestry strategy are<br />
supportive of <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> need for more trees and <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> benefits that can<br />
be ga<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>ed, <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>y rema<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> sceptical about what can be achieved.<br />
This is especially <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> case so far as <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> 100,000 hectare target<br />
is c<strong>on</strong>cerned. For example, Bernard Llewellyn, Chair of NFU<br />
Cymru’s Rural Affairs Board described <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> target as “unrealistic”<br />
simply because of <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> f<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>ite amount of land available and <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
reduced capital value of land planted with trees.<br />
Andrew Gurney, <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> FUW’s Land Use Policy Officer, said<br />
hav<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g a target was helpful because it provided someth<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g to<br />
strive towards. However, he, too, questi<strong>on</strong>ed whe<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>r 100,000<br />
hectares were achievable:<br />
“ The record so far is not especially enc<str<strong>on</strong>g>our</str<strong>on</strong>g>ag<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g. Less than<br />
1,000 hectares have been planted <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> first two years of<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> Glastir scheme – which is just 1 per cent of <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> target. Of<br />
c<str<strong>on</strong>g>our</str<strong>on</strong>g>se, as time goes <strong>on</strong> this could improve. We will need a<br />
campaign to enc<str<strong>on</strong>g>our</str<strong>on</strong>g>age farmers and o<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>r landowners to take<br />
up <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> opportunities under Glastir. It’s worth po<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>t<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g out that<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>re’s a lot of exist<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g woodland that is not well managed.<br />
Many trees planted over 20 years ago have just been left.<br />
These need to be brought back <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>to a proper management<br />
regime. This would br<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g ec<strong>on</strong>omic benefits. But, of c<str<strong>on</strong>g>our</str<strong>on</strong>g>se, it<br />
w<strong>on</strong>’t c0ntribute to <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> 100,000 hectare target.”<br />
Nicholas Wynne, C<strong>on</strong>sultancy Manager with Nati<strong>on</strong>al Trust<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>Wales</str<strong>on</strong>g> suggested that <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> target was “a nice round figure”, while<br />
Ben Underwood, <str<strong>on</strong>g>Wales</str<strong>on</strong>g> Director of <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> Country Land and<br />
Bus<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>ess Associati<strong>on</strong>, described it as “unrealistic and arbitrary”:<br />
“ The Welsh Government have set a target figure without really<br />
assess<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g whe<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>r <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> ec<strong>on</strong>omic drivers are <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>re to achieve<br />
it. They currently are not and s<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>ce <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> demise of Better<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>Woodlands</str<strong>on</strong>g> for <str<strong>on</strong>g>Wales</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> support for commercial forestry<br />
has reduced.”<br />
Celia Thomas, Woodland Officer with <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> Pembrokeshire Coast<br />
Nati<strong>on</strong>al Park but speak<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g for Nati<strong>on</strong>al Parks <str<strong>on</strong>g>Wales</str<strong>on</strong>g>, said:<br />
“ The target was set without effective engagement of ei<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>r key<br />
partners or landowners and at a time when changes were<br />
also proposed through <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> Liv<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g <str<strong>on</strong>g>Wales</str<strong>on</strong>g> programme, that<br />
have <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>volved a total restructur<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g of <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> bodies that will be<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>volved <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> deliver<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g this target. The timescale and scale<br />
of <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> proposal has not been c<strong>on</strong>sidered <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> relati<strong>on</strong> to <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>se<br />
changes. With CAP reform now also <strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> horiz<strong>on</strong>, major<br />
changes to land use are unlikely to be c<strong>on</strong>sidered by farmers<br />
and landowners, who would need to take a l<strong>on</strong>ger view<br />
when c<strong>on</strong>sider<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g trees and woodland ra<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>r than an annual<br />
cropp<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g cycle which is more flexible.”<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>Grow<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>our</str<strong>on</strong>g> woodlands <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Wales</str<strong>on</strong>g>: <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> 100,000 hectare challenge | 29
There were clear views about <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> attitudes of farmers and how<br />
to <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>fluence <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>m. Ben Underwood commented:<br />
“ To be h<strong>on</strong>est tree plant<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g is not <strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> radar of most farmers<br />
and landowners. Why would it be? The demand for food is<br />
as great as it’s ever been and commodity prices are buoyant<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> ma<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>. Tak<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g land out of food producti<strong>on</strong> for forestry is<br />
not a profitable propositi<strong>on</strong>.”<br />
Andrew Gurney, of <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> FUW agreed. “It’s not so much that<br />
farmers are resistant to plant<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g woodland,” he said “It’s just<br />
that most of <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>m are not even c<strong>on</strong>sider<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g it”:<br />
“ At present farmers are gett<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g high returns for <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>ir lamb<br />
and beef producti<strong>on</strong>. That’s where <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>ir attenti<strong>on</strong> and efforts<br />
are focused. Farmers follow <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> prices. For <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>stance, three<br />
years ago lamb was fetch<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g around £30 and £40 a head<br />
whereas today its between £80 and £90. So if farmers are<br />
to be persuaded to divert some of <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>ir time and land to tree<br />
plant<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>re has to be a realistic offsett<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g of <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>ir costs and<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>come foreg<strong>on</strong>e. And, of c<str<strong>on</strong>g>our</str<strong>on</strong>g>se, trees are for <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> l<strong>on</strong>g-term,<br />
requir<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g 30 or 40 years before a direct <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>come can be realised.<br />
Meanwhile, that land could have been used for graz<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g.”<br />
Tom Packham, Estates Bus<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>ess Manager with Dŵr Cymru Welsh<br />
Water, said that tenant farmers were <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> an especially difficult<br />
positi<strong>on</strong> when c<strong>on</strong>sider<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g whe<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>r to engage with forestry:<br />
“ Tenant farmers do not have sufficient security of tenure<br />
to engage <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> forestry. Their landlords will be those who<br />
take it up, and a prelim<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>ary to that will be for tenants<br />
to be <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>duced to rel<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>quish land to <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>ir landlords. For<br />
owner-occupier farmers <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> gross marg<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> (net of grant) per<br />
hectare of forestry, from year <strong>on</strong>e, will have to equate to <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
gross marg<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> (net of grant) foreg<strong>on</strong>e from, say, sheep. For<br />
landlords <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> net return from forestry will have to exceed <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
rent from farm<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g or graz<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g.”<br />
Nicholas Wynne, of Nati<strong>on</strong>al Trust <str<strong>on</strong>g>Wales</str<strong>on</strong>g> summed up <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
positi<strong>on</strong> as follows:<br />
“ If we attach a £ sign to <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> change <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>n it’s go<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g to be very<br />
difficult to persuade a significant number of farmers to move<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>to forestry. The <strong>on</strong>ly way will be to persuade <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>m that <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>y<br />
will ga<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> a mixed range of benefits from mov<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>to trees –<br />
from creat<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g shelter belts, to ga<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g><str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g a cheap energy s<str<strong>on</strong>g>our</str<strong>on</strong>g>ce<br />
and improv<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g biodiversity. No <strong>on</strong>e is go<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g to change just<br />
because <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> government has announced a target. F<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>ancial<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>centives, especially for capital costs, will be crucial.”<br />
Andrew Gurney, of <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> FUW, said:<br />
“ The c<strong>on</strong>stant change to agri-envir<strong>on</strong>mental schemes <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
recent years has not been helpful. There were amendments<br />
to <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> Glastir scheme almost from week to week when it was<br />
be<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g developed. The result has been c<strong>on</strong>stant <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>stability that<br />
doesn’t <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>stil c<strong>on</strong>fidence <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> those who might be c<strong>on</strong>templat<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g<br />
plant<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g woodlands. Glastir hasn’t got off to a good start<br />
with farmers who have a pretty negative percepti<strong>on</strong> of it.<br />
The reality is that <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>re have been two years of negative<br />
press around <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> operati<strong>on</strong> of Glastir. The previous Tir Gofal<br />
scheme was better because its payments were made up fr<strong>on</strong>t<br />
for work carried out. Under Glastir payments are made for<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>come foreg<strong>on</strong>e and may take up to three to f<str<strong>on</strong>g>our</str<strong>on</strong>g> years<br />
before <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> costs of carry<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g out works are recovered.”<br />
There was widespread agreement that support for tree plant<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g<br />
could be made more effective if it was undertaken <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> ways<br />
that <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>tegrated it with ma<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>stream farm<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g practices. Nicholas<br />
Wynne said that Glastir payments should be structured <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> ways<br />
30 | <str<strong>on</strong>g>Grow<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>our</str<strong>on</strong>g> woodlands <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Wales</str<strong>on</strong>g>: <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> 100,000 hectare challenge
that built woodland management <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>to <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> culture of farm<br />
management. Bernard Llewellyn, of <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> NFU, suggested that<br />
plant<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g should be promoted <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> ways that facilitated modern<br />
farm<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g techniques, giv<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> cultivati<strong>on</strong> of hedgerows as an<br />
example. As he put it:<br />
“ Hedgerows need to be c<strong>on</strong>sidered not <strong>on</strong>ly <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> terms<br />
of <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>ir habitat and biodiversity opportunities but <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
terms of provid<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g ec<strong>on</strong>omic returns from coppic<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g<br />
and timber producti<strong>on</strong>.”<br />
Andrew Gurney, of <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> FUW, said:<br />
“ Some practical dem<strong>on</strong>strati<strong>on</strong>s and case studies of how <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
benefits of forestry are experienced <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> real life scenarios,<br />
effectively communicated to farmers, would be useful. At<br />
present, for many farmers <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> benefit that <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>y might get from<br />
plant<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g trees <strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>ir land is largely <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>oretical.”<br />
Celia Thomas, of Nati<strong>on</strong>al Parks <str<strong>on</strong>g>Wales</str<strong>on</strong>g>, said we should be more<br />
creative <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> ways we <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>troduced trees <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>to <str<strong>on</strong>g>our</str<strong>on</strong>g> landscape:<br />
“ Ra<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>r than th<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>k<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g of large areas of new densely planted<br />
trees we should be look<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g for ways of gett<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g trees <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>to <str<strong>on</strong>g>our</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
countryside that deliver multiple benefits. So a menu of small<br />
firewood copses, a good lot of hedgerow trees, shelter woods,<br />
parkland or scattered wood pasture trees, or trees planted to<br />
limit erosi<strong>on</strong> or flood<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g would be better than los<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g six acres<br />
of productive land <strong>on</strong> y<str<strong>on</strong>g>our</str<strong>on</strong>g> 100 acre hold<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g.”<br />
She suggested we should be th<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>k<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g about numbers of trees<br />
planted, ra<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>r than areas of woodland. At present grantaided<br />
tree plant<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g was based <strong>on</strong> plant<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g around 2,000<br />
trees per hectare, which was probably too high. It might be<br />
more effective to provide farmers with a target of numbers of<br />
trees to plant ra<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>r than acreage to cover. If subsidies were<br />
based <strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> number of trees planted <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>n farmers would be<br />
enc<str<strong>on</strong>g>our</str<strong>on</strong>g>aged to see plant<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g as not <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>volv<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g tak<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g good land<br />
out of producti<strong>on</strong>. Plant<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g could <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>n be more easily regarded<br />
as c<strong>on</strong>tribut<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g to farm <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>come:<br />
“ Instead of plant<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g 12.5 acres a 200 acre hold<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g could<br />
be required to plant 500 trees, five for every two acres. A<br />
ten-acre field would <strong>on</strong>ly need 25 trees that could be spread<br />
with<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> hedges, <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> corners, perhaps as a shelterbelt or at a<br />
water’s edge. Spread out to allow a ten metre spread at<br />
maturity <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> same area would be achieved. Ir<strong>on</strong>ically this<br />
could also be more affordable. This way we could achieve<br />
more wood pasture and o<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>r multiple land uses such as<br />
grazed orchards. In additi<strong>on</strong> more alternative systems such<br />
as <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> currently popular forest gardens and permaculture<br />
could be supported.”<br />
In terms of <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> overall policy <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>re was widespread support<br />
for <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> proposals put forward <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Woodlands</str<strong>on</strong>g> for <str<strong>on</strong>g>Wales</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
strategy. However, forestry had suffered from it be<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g seen as<br />
a separate undertak<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g from farm<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g. It would be desirable to<br />
have <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> two <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>dustries adm<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>istered under a s<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>gle banner.<br />
Yet under <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> current proposed arrangements this could not<br />
happen. Agriculture and Glastir would rema<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> with<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> Welsh<br />
Government, while <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> adm<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>istrati<strong>on</strong> of forestry would be<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>corporated with <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> S<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>gle Envir<strong>on</strong>mental Body. As Bernard<br />
Llewellyn of <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> NFU put it:<br />
“ Inter-departmental issues and communicati<strong>on</strong> need to be<br />
resolved as so<strong>on</strong> as possible.”<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>Grow<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>our</str<strong>on</strong>g> woodlands <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Wales</str<strong>on</strong>g>: <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> 100,000 hectare challenge | 31
— 8—<br />
The envir<strong>on</strong>mental lobbyists<br />
Perhaps unsurpris<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>gly envir<strong>on</strong>mental lobby<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g organisati<strong>on</strong>s<br />
generally have more positive attitudes towards <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> target of<br />
plant<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g an extra 100,000 hectares of woodland <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Wales</str<strong>on</strong>g> than<br />
those actually resp<strong>on</strong>sible for mak<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g it happen. At <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> same<br />
time <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>y are critical of many of <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> policy levers currently<br />
available to assist with reach<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> target and have str<strong>on</strong>g<br />
views about ways <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>se need to be changed. In assess<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> outlook of <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> sector <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> representatives of <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> follow<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g<br />
organisati<strong>on</strong>s were <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>terviewed:<br />
Mike Townsend, a c<strong>on</strong>sultant with <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> Woodland Trust,<br />
which aims to work with o<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>rs to plant more trees and<br />
protect native woodlands.<br />
David Jenk<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>s, Director of Coed Cymru that campaigns to<br />
heighten awareness of native woodlands.<br />
Becky Hulme, a Project Officer with Tir Coed – an alliance<br />
of countryside organisati<strong>on</strong>s to promote woodland-related<br />
facilities.<br />
Raoul Bhambral, Advocacy Officer with <str<strong>on</strong>g>Wales</str<strong>on</strong>g> Envir<strong>on</strong>ment<br />
L<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>k – <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> umbrella body for envir<strong>on</strong>mental and countryside<br />
n<strong>on</strong>-governmental organisati<strong>on</strong>s <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Wales</str<strong>on</strong>g>.<br />
Mike Wood, UK Forestry Policy Officer, and Arf<strong>on</strong> Williams,<br />
Countryside Manager, with RSPB Cymru.<br />
Their generally benign view about <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> 100,000 hectare target<br />
was tempered with an awareness of <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> difficulties <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> achiev<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g<br />
it. As <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> Woodland Trust stated:<br />
“ The target is realistic <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> sense that from <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> perspective<br />
of land use classificati<strong>on</strong>, land is available which could be<br />
planted with trees. The difficulty is whe<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>r it is realistic socially<br />
and culturally, given <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> historical c<strong>on</strong>text of forestry <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Wales</str<strong>on</strong>g>,<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> structure of farm<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g and <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> traditi<strong>on</strong>s of land use. These<br />
factors need to be built <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>to <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> narrative support<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> target<br />
and <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> to c<strong>on</strong>siderati<strong>on</strong> of how it is delivered <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> landscape,<br />
which may not be represented by <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> traditi<strong>on</strong>al forestry model<br />
of plantati<strong>on</strong>, but more by an <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>tegrati<strong>on</strong> of trees and smaller<br />
woodlands <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>to <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> farmed landscape.”<br />
Tir Coed said that hav<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g a target was helpful to drive<br />
progress towards achiev<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g additi<strong>on</strong>al woodland coverage but<br />
cauti<strong>on</strong>ed aga<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>st a re-run of low value c<strong>on</strong>ifer plant<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>gs:<br />
“ The target is not realistic given present levels of new plant<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g.<br />
A holistic and well motivated driv<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g force is required to<br />
make <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> target <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>to a reality.”<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>Grow<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>our</str<strong>on</strong>g> woodlands <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Wales</str<strong>on</strong>g>: <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> 100,000 hectare challenge | 33
Coed Cymru struck a slightly different note:<br />
“ The target is realistic as l<strong>on</strong>g as we recognise that most of <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>crease will be achieved by natural col<strong>on</strong>isati<strong>on</strong>, a process<br />
which has seen a doubl<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g of native woodland <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Wales</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
s<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>ce 1980. The result<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g woodlands may not resemble<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> plantati<strong>on</strong>s of <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> 20th Century but <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>y will serve <str<strong>on</strong>g>our</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
purposes much better.”<br />
The RSPB noted:<br />
“ The target could be unhelpful if it drives envir<strong>on</strong>mentally<br />
unsusta<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>able forestry practices, as well as divert<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g attenti<strong>on</strong><br />
from improv<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> biodiversity and public benefit value of<br />
exist<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g woodlands.”<br />
The <str<strong>on</strong>g>Wales</str<strong>on</strong>g> Envir<strong>on</strong>ment L<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>k was c<strong>on</strong>cerned that biodiversity<br />
requirements should be at <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> forefr<strong>on</strong>t of any woodland<br />
expansi<strong>on</strong> plann<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g:<br />
“ It is essential that any <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>crease is delivered sensitively, with<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> right tree <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> right place. We mean by this that <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>re<br />
needs to be a system to ensure that tree plant<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g is not funded<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> locati<strong>on</strong>s where it is likely to damage or degrade valuable<br />
UK Biodiversity Acti<strong>on</strong> Plan wildlife habitats and species, and<br />
that <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>re should be much greater support for <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> plant<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g<br />
of native than exotic species. We would go fur<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>r, by sett<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g<br />
a l<strong>on</strong>g-term aim to double <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> area of native woodland <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>Wales</str<strong>on</strong>g>. Native woodland can be viewed as a model land use<br />
for susta<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>able development, provid<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g many and varied<br />
benefits <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> envir<strong>on</strong>mental, social and ec<strong>on</strong>omic terms.”<br />
There was a widely shared view am<strong>on</strong>gst <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> resp<strong>on</strong>dents that,<br />
if approached <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> right way, farmers could be enc<str<strong>on</strong>g>our</str<strong>on</strong>g>aged to<br />
plant more trees. As David Jenk<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>s, of Coed Cymru, put it:<br />
“ Every farmer I know wants to plant some trees. All we have<br />
to do is make it easy for <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>m and ensure that <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>ir early<br />
efforts are successful. They will not give up <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>ir best land<br />
and we should not be enc<str<strong>on</strong>g>our</str<strong>on</strong>g>ag<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g this. Recent policy has<br />
sought to displace agriculture with trees. This is <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> wr<strong>on</strong>g<br />
approach. Every farm has awkward areas <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> d<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>gles, al<strong>on</strong>g<br />
streamsides and around build<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>gs where trees would thrive<br />
and provide benefit to <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> farmer, to <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> wider public and<br />
to <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> envir<strong>on</strong>ment. Often <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>se are small areas, which fall<br />
below <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> threshold of <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> current grants. The need for hand<br />
hold<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> early stages is often overlooked. Tree plant<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g<br />
is a progressive afflicti<strong>on</strong>, which is highly c<strong>on</strong>tagious. Early<br />
success is everyth<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g.”<br />
Mike Townsend, of <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> Woodland Trust, said:<br />
“ There has traditi<strong>on</strong>ally been antipathy towards forestry from<br />
farmers. This reflects <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> large-scale afforestati<strong>on</strong> model,<br />
which is often seen as an alternative and antag<strong>on</strong>istic land<br />
use to farm<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g. The model for woodland creati<strong>on</strong> needs to be<br />
transformed to <strong>on</strong>e where trees and woodland are <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>tegrated<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>to farm<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g systems <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> ways which help support husbandry<br />
and producti<strong>on</strong> through help<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g farm<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g to adapt to climate<br />
change and o<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>r factors that are putt<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g pressure <strong>on</strong><br />
farm<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g. The P<strong>on</strong>tbren farmers <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> Powys provide an example<br />
of <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> sort of model which is likely to have greater acceptance<br />
by farmers generally. 18 Our own woodland creati<strong>on</strong> model<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Wales</str<strong>on</strong>g> is based <strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> pr<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>ciple of <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>tegrati<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>to farm<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g<br />
systems, ra<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>r than <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>ir wholesale displacement. 19<br />
“ There is str<strong>on</strong>g anecdotal evidence that <strong>on</strong>ce a farmer starts<br />
plant<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g trees he or she is likely to go <strong>on</strong> do<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g so. The<br />
challenge <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>refore is to f<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>d a way of gett<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g him started. In<br />
this regard we believe <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>re is a crucial need for a simpler<br />
scheme to provide attractive support for <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> plant<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g of<br />
34 | <str<strong>on</strong>g>Grow<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>our</str<strong>on</strong>g> woodlands <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Wales</str<strong>on</strong>g>: <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> 100,000 hectare challenge
very small areas of woodland with<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> farmed landscape,<br />
smaller areas than currently allowed under Glastir’s<br />
woodland creati<strong>on</strong> scheme and <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> narrower belts, with<br />
m<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>imum bureaucracy and fuss.”<br />
Raoul Bhambral, of <str<strong>on</strong>g>Wales</str<strong>on</strong>g> Envir<strong>on</strong>ment L<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>k, referred to <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
same po<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>t, urg<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g that <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> Welsh Government and Forestry<br />
Commissi<strong>on</strong> should revisit <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> area size limits for eligibility for<br />
Glastir grants and reduce <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>m:<br />
“ While <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> Glastir woodland creati<strong>on</strong> scheme provides fairly<br />
generous grants for plant<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> certa<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> circumstances, areas<br />
of land over 0.25 hectares (<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> limit is due to go up to 0.5<br />
hectares <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> 2013) and shelterbelts over 12 metres <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> width,<br />
little or no support is available for plant<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g smaller areas of<br />
trees. This is a key weakness and we have a real opportunity<br />
now to change <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> scheme to support plant<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g smaller areas.<br />
The best way to persuade farmers to plant trees <strong>on</strong> a wider<br />
scale is to enc<str<strong>on</strong>g>our</str<strong>on</strong>g>age <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>m to plant <strong>on</strong> a smaller scale first.”<br />
The Woodland Trust stated:<br />
“ We would like to see an agri-envir<strong>on</strong>mental scheme which<br />
would enc<str<strong>on</strong>g>our</str<strong>on</strong>g>age farmers across <str<strong>on</strong>g>Wales</str<strong>on</strong>g> to emulate <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
example of <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> P<strong>on</strong>tbren scheme and to see trees and<br />
woodland as part of a productive farmed landscape.<br />
This would <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>clude <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> promoti<strong>on</strong> of <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> many benefits of<br />
woodland pasture. Such a scheme would go with <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> gra<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
of <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> farm<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g practices, enc<str<strong>on</strong>g>our</str<strong>on</strong>g>ag<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g farmers to do what is<br />
actually <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>ir own <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>terests <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> first place.”<br />
O<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>r barriers to enc<str<strong>on</strong>g>our</str<strong>on</strong>g>ag<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g more tree plant<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g were listed by<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> resp<strong>on</strong>dents as:<br />
— The plant<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g traffic-light opportunities map, which enforces<br />
an over-cautious approach towards new woodland creati<strong>on</strong>,<br />
even with regard to small areas of native woodland.<br />
— The threat to <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>come forg<strong>on</strong>e payments <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> Welsh<br />
Government’s new Rural Development Plan.<br />
— The rise <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> food prices and uncerta<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>ty about <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> future of<br />
government support for agriculture.<br />
Notes<br />
18 www.p<strong>on</strong>tbrenfarmers.co.uk/<br />
19 www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/en/planttrees/help-advice/<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>Grow<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>our</str<strong>on</strong>g> woodlands <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Wales</str<strong>on</strong>g>: <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> 100,000 hectare challenge | 35
— 9—<br />
Policy im plicati<strong>on</strong>s<br />
1— If <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> 100,000 hectare target is to be achieved, areas<br />
of unimproved, marg<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>al land across <str<strong>on</strong>g>Wales</str<strong>on</strong>g> will need<br />
to be planted. These are <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> ffridd habitats where <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
uplands and lowlands meet. In turn this will require a<br />
more holistic approach to <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>herent tensi<strong>on</strong> between<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> requirements of susta<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>ability <strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> <strong>on</strong>e hand<br />
and c<strong>on</strong>servati<strong>on</strong> <strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> o<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>r. There needs to be a<br />
recogniti<strong>on</strong> that new woodlands <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> ffridd areas will<br />
create new habitats and new biodiversity opportunities.<br />
2— The traffic light mapp<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g of <str<strong>on</strong>g>Wales</str<strong>on</strong>g> should be revisited<br />
to achieve a better balance between <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> demands<br />
of susta<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>ability – to be enhanced by <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> 100,000<br />
hectare woodland expansi<strong>on</strong> – and <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> current greater<br />
emphasis <strong>on</strong> c<strong>on</strong>servati<strong>on</strong> of exist<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g habitats.<br />
3— On climate change mitigati<strong>on</strong>, emphasis should be<br />
placed <strong>on</strong> CO 2 reducti<strong>on</strong> from ec<strong>on</strong>omic usage of<br />
timber, al<strong>on</strong>gside carb<strong>on</strong> sequestrati<strong>on</strong>.<br />
4 — Farmers are more likely to embark <strong>on</strong> tree plant<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g if<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>y can be persuaded that it can be <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>tegrated <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>to<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>ir overall farm<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g culture and practice, ra<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>r than<br />
as a separate activity.<br />
5— Recalibrate <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> Welsh woodland target to <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>clude<br />
a focus <strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> number of trees planted per hectare<br />
al<strong>on</strong>gside <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> target of <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> overall number of hectares<br />
to be planted. This could recommend <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> number of<br />
trees per hectare that would maximise c<strong>on</strong>necti<strong>on</strong> of<br />
woodland management with <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> culture of farm<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g.<br />
6— Restructure Glastir to emphasise a holistic approach to<br />
farm<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g and woodland management. Emphasise pull of<br />
ec<strong>on</strong>omic returns al<strong>on</strong>gside push from Glastir payments.<br />
Land currently with<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> former Tir Gofal programme<br />
should be allowed to exit early <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> order to enter <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
Glastir Woodland Creati<strong>on</strong> scheme.<br />
7— There should be smaller entry for grant eligibility to<br />
Glastir below <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> current 0.25 hectare, so<strong>on</strong> to become<br />
0.5 hectare, cut-off. This would enc<str<strong>on</strong>g>our</str<strong>on</strong>g>age more<br />
farmers to start engag<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g with woodland management.<br />
8— There is a need for greater support for farmers <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
putt<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g toge<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>r woodland plant<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g proposals.<br />
9— C<strong>on</strong>siderati<strong>on</strong> should be given to f<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>d ways of<br />
support<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g farmers to undertake short rotati<strong>on</strong><br />
coppic<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g as a way of enc<str<strong>on</strong>g>our</str<strong>on</strong>g>ag<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> development<br />
of a renewable energy s<str<strong>on</strong>g>our</str<strong>on</strong>g>ce, so reduc<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g carb<strong>on</strong><br />
emissi<strong>on</strong>s, and also enc<str<strong>on</strong>g>our</str<strong>on</strong>g>ag<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>tegrati<strong>on</strong> of<br />
woodland management with ma<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>stream farm<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g.<br />
10 — The lead organisati<strong>on</strong> for promot<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> expansi<strong>on</strong><br />
of Welsh woodlands should be <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> new S<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>gle<br />
Envir<strong>on</strong>mental Body.<br />
36 | <str<strong>on</strong>g>Grow<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>our</str<strong>on</strong>g> woodlands <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Wales</str<strong>on</strong>g>: <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> 100,000 hectare challenge