Order, Order

We turn now to a vote on the Rewilding Motion.

Rewilding Motion

The Senedd notes that: (1) Historically, huge swathes of forestry in rural Wales were cleared to make way for sheep farming.

(2) A huge amount of Welsh land continues to be used for sheep farming.

(3) In regards to the climate, a better use of the land would be to rebuild Welsh forest cover.

The Senedd therefore calls on the Government to:

(1) Explore ways to encourage farmers to voluntarily allow their land to be rewilded.

(2) Set targets for rewilding.

(3) Work with charities and Natural Resources Wales to ensure that organisations working to improve and maintain Welsh wild spaces have sufficient funding to operate.

This Motion was written by the Rt Hon Countess Kilcreggan (/u/underwater_tara) and is submitted on behalf of the Welsh Conservatives.

Opening Speech

Presiding Officer,

Wales was once a land covered in forest cover. However, successive demands from mankind to clear land for agriculture and livestock have reduced the forest cover in Wales to a mere 12% of all land coverage in Wales. Regrettably, in 2021 the overall forest coverage in Wales dropped by 701Ha, according to globalforestwatch.org, which is not the situation we should be in. Action is required.

This is the reason I have produced this motion. The Government must step up and take action to preserve and manage existing woodland, and put serious action into planting new ones. It is well known that managed woodland is an essential part of achieving net-zero, due to the carbon sequestration effect that trees have, and if sustainably managed, a woodland can be a good source of biofuel. The more land we set aside for trees, and not sheep, the better.

Thank you.

Link to the Debate

Voting on this motion will end at the close of business on 28th May at 10pm BST