Cymraeg
But this figure of 700 hectares still represents just 14% of what is necessary to meet the Welsh Government’s tree planting target
Figures published today show that the area of new woodland planted in Wales increased from just 100 ha in 2009-10, to 700 ha last year. Almost all of this is broadleaved and this is the highest level of tree planting in Wales for a decade.
But the area planted still falls far short of the 5,000 ha a year that is needed to meet the Welsh Government’s target of creating 100,000 ha of new woodland over the next 20 years.
This target was set by the then Rural Affairs Minister Elin Jones in March 2010 (1), with the aim of soaking up CO2 from the atmosphere and helping make Wales more resilient to the effects of climate change.
This approach is supported in this year’s Welsh Labour Manifesto which makes clear that a Labour Government will: “Respond to climate change by helping reducing our carbon footprint by maximising our woodlands for carbon abatement”, adding that: “By 2050 our woodlands alone could abate half of Wales’ annual CO2 emissions, if carbon reduction targets are achieved.”
“The increase in tree planting is great news for the Welsh environment", says Jerry Langford, the Woodland Trust's Director for Wales. "It’s a great start, but trees provide so many benefits as well as soaking up CO2 from the atmosphere; they can provide shelter for livestock, shade for buildings, a renewable supply of wood fuel and timber, a cost-effective means of combating flooding and a superb habitat for wildlife.
“But to get the maximum benefit from them we need to keep planting and at a faster rate, and we will continue to do what we can to help landowners plant woodland , and to help the Welsh Government realise its own tree planting target.”
The Welsh Assembly Government introduced a new, generous tree planting grant, Glastir Woodland Creation, in October last year, offering up to £9000 per ha for woodland creation, over a fifteen year period.
The UK Government has published plans for the Renewable Heat Incentive, which is likely to boost the demand for wood fuel in the future, and hence its value.
The Woodland Trust believes that, so long as Glastir Woodland Creation Grants and the Renewable Heat Incentive remain in force, Welsh landowners will have a real incentive to plant new woodland, especially as small copses and shelterbelts within the farmed landscape, and that the trend towards more tree planting will continue and accelerate, offering real benefits both to the landowners and to wider society.
Earlier this year, the Woodland Trust published a brochure, Trees for farms in Wales, which outlines the many benefits for farmers of creating even small areas of woodland as part of the farmed landscape. This is being sent to all farmers in Wales, through the farming unions, and is available free online here.
Notes for editors:
1. The announcement was made during a Ministerial statement on the Glastir scheme on Tuesday 16 March 2010. It can be downloaded verbatim here.
English
Coed Cadw’n croesawu cynnydd saith gwaith ym maint y coetir newydd a grëwyd yng Nghymru'r llynedd
Ond mae’r ffigwr yma, sef 700 hectar, yn cynrychioli dim ond 14% o’r hyn sy’n angenrheidiol bob blwyddyn i gwrdd â tharged plannu coed Llywodraeth Cymru
Mae ffigyrau a gyhoeddir heddiw ‘n dangos fod maint y coetir a grëwyd yng Nghymru wedi cynyddu o ddim ond 100 hectar yn 2009-10 i 700 hectar y llynedd. Mae bron y cyfan yn goetir collddail a dyma’r lefel uchaf o blannu yng Nghymru mewn unrhyw flwyddyn dros y degawd diwethaf.
Ond mae’r maint o goetir a blannwyd yn dal llai o lawer na’r 5,000 hectar sydd ei angen bob blwyddyn i gyrraed target Llywodraeth Cymru o greu 100,000 ha o goetir newydd dros yr ugain mlynedd nesaf.
Cyhoeddwyd y targed gan Elin Jones, Gweinidog Materion Gwledig ar y pryd, ym mis Mawrth 2010, gyda’r bwriad amsugno CO2 o’r awyrgylch a helpu Cymru i addasu i effeithiau newid yr hinsawdd.
Cefnogwyd y syniad yma gan Faniffesto Plaid Lafur Cymru eleni, sy’n dweud y gwnaiff Llywodraeth Lafur: “Ymateb i’r newid yn yr hinsawdd trwy helpu i leihau ein hôl troed
carbon trwy gynyddu ein coetiroedd er mwyn lleihau carbon”, gan ychwanegu: “Erbyn 2050, gallai ein coetiroedd ni yn unig leihau hanner allyriadau CO2 blynyddol Cymru, pe bai targedau lleihau carbon yn cael eu cyflawni.”
Dywed Jerry Langford, Cyfarwyddwr Coed Cadw (the Woodland Trust) yng Nghymru: “Mae’r cynnydd yma mewn plannu coed yn newyddion da iawn i amgylchedd Cymru. Mae’n ddechreuad da, ond mae coed yn cynnig cymaint o fanteision yn ogystal ag amsugno CO2 o’r awyrgylch; maen nhw’n darparu cysgod i dda byw ac adeiladau, ffynhonnell adnewyddol o goed tân a phren, ffordd gost-effeithiol o atal llifogydd a chynefin gwych i fyd natur.
“Ond i gael y manteision llawn o goed, rhaid inni ddal ati i’w plannu nhw, ac yn gyflymach. Fe wnawn ni ddal ati i wneud yr hyn allwn ni i helpu tirfeddianwyr i blannu coed i helpu Llywodraeth Cymru i gyrraedd ei tharged plannu.”
Fe gyflwynodd Llywodraeth y Cynulliad grant plannu coed newydd a hael, sef Grant Creu Coetir Glastir, ym mis Hydref y llynedd, sy’n cynnig hyd at £9,000 yr hectar i greu coetir, dros gyfnod o bymtheng mlynedd.
Mae Llywodraeth y DU wedi cyhoeddi cynlluniau ar gyfer Cymhelliad Gwres Adnewyddol, sy’n debyg o gynyddu’r galw am goed tân yn y dyfodol, ac felly ei werth.
Mae Coed Cadw’n credu y bydd tirfeddiannwyr yn cael eu hysgogi’n i blannu darnau bychain o goetir, yn enwedig coedlannau bach a lleiniau cysgod ar ffermydd, tra bod grantiau Creu Coetir Glastir a’r Cymhelliad Gwres Adnewyddol yn dal mewn grym. Os felly, fe fydd y tuedd yma tuag at blannu mwy o goed yn parhau ac yn cyflymu, gan gynnig manteision gwirioneddol i dirfeddianwyr ac i’r gymdeithas ehangach.
Yn gynharach eleni, fe gyhoeddodd Coed Cadw lyfryn, Coed i ffermydd yng Nghymru, sy’n amlinelli’r manteision lu i ffermwyr o greu hyd yn oed darnau bychain o goetir ar ffermydd. Mae hwn yn cael ei ddosbarthu o bob ffermwr yng Nghymru trwy’r undebau amaethyddol, ac mae o ar gael am ddim ar lein yma.
Nodiadau i olygyddion:
Gwnaed y cyhoeddiad ar y 16 Mawrth 2010. Gellir ei weld ar wefan Cynulliad Cenedlaethol Cymru yma.