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Woodlands for Wales – the Wales woodland strategy

Betws y Coed from Clogwyn Cyrrau.

Action Plan

The Woodlands for Wales Action Plan (published in March 2010) sets out what needs to happen over the next five years to make progress towards achieving the outcomes of Woodlands for Wales, the Welsh Assembly Government's (WAG) 50 year strategy for trees and woodlands.


Strategy

Following an extensive public consultation, Woodlands for Wales, the revised Welsh Assembly Government’s strategy for woodlands and trees was published in March 2009.

Originally published in 2001 it sets out a 50-year plan for woodlands and trees and how the people of Wales can benefit from them. The strategy looks at the role they play in delivering social economic and environmental benefits and also the contribution they can make towards addressing the impacts of climate change.

All trees in Wales are considered in the strategy not just those in the countryside but in urban areas as well.

The strategy is framed around Welsh woodlands and trees as a basis for delivery across four strategic themes, which are:

  • Responding to climate change – coping with climate change and helping reduce our carbon footprint.
  • Woodlands for people – serving local needs for health, education and jobs.
  • A competitive and integrated forest sector – innovative, skilled industries supplying renewable products from Wales.
  • Environmental quality – making a positive contribution to biodiversity, landscapes and heritage, and reducing other environmental pressures.

From this page you can download:

Monitoring the strategy

A five-year progress report for the original 2001 strategy was published in 2006; using a series of performance indicators this report evaluated the advances made towards delivering the strategic aims and objectives.

Headline figures for the first Welsh Outdoor Recreation Survey 2008 commissioned jointly by Countryside Council for Wales and Forestry Commission Wales were released on 17th September 2009 according to the arrangements approved by the UK Statistics Authority.

The findings represent the responses of residents of Wales on their use of the outdoors, places visited, including woodlands, motivations for using the outdoors, barriers to visiting the outdoors and the ‘latent demand’ for outdoor recreation.

If you want more information on Woodlands for Wales contact: fcwenquiries@forestry.gsi.gov.uk
 
You can also telephone Forestry Commission Wales on 03000680300 for more information.