Cymraeg
The Trust calls for this target to be delivered by planting mainly native trees, in line with the recommendations of the Assembly’s Land Use and Climate Change Group
The Woodland Trust (Coed Cadw), the UK’s leading woodland conservation charity, has welcomed the Welsh Assembly Government’s aim to create 100,000 hectares of new woodland over the next 20 years – but has called for them to be predominantly native species in line with expert advice.
The Assembly Government’s woodland creation vision stretches over the next 20 years through the new Glastir agri-environmental scheme (1) according to Elin Jones, Wales’ Rural Affairs Minister who made the announcement on Tuesday 16 March (2).
She was responding to the recommendations of the Land Use and Climate Change group (3) which she established last year to find ways of helping to meet the Assembly’s own exacting targets to reduce emissions of green house gases from Wales.
Jerry Langford, the Woodland Trust’s Country Director for Wales says: “We greatly welcome this bold move by Elin Jones which shows a real commitment to taking action to tackle climate change. It requires a massive change in the rate of woodland creation in Wales and I really hope that the weightings and payment levels in Glastir and the Forestry Commission grant schemes will be set so as to make this possible. This is a win-win opportunity for Wales and for Welsh farmers.
“New native woodland offers a whole range of benefits both to landowners and to the wider public: providing firewood for the farmhouse; shelter for stock; helping avoid flooding; improving water quality; a sustainable source of income from timber, providing better habitats for wildlife and improving the quality of the environment to people; all this as well as absorbing carbon from the atmosphere. Planted in the right places, trees are an important part of good husbandry and thus support food production.
“The Land Use and Climate Change report, produced by an eminent group of scientists and policy experts under the expert chairmanship of Prof Gareth Wyn Jones of the University of Wales Bangor, made this case persuasively and we are delighted that the Minister has taken this on board, setting a positive example to other parts of the UK and to the rest of the world”.
The Land Use and Climate Change Group’s proposals include the creation of 100,000 ha of new, mainly native woodland over the next 20 years, as well as measures to reduce methane emissions and to develop renewable energy. The report suggests that if all of its recommendations are adopted, rural Wales can achieve net green house gas emission cuts of the order of 80% by 2040, with increased sustainability and improved Welsh resilience to international shocks.
In September 2009 the Woodland Trust presented a 2,000 signature petition to the Welsh Assembly, calling for a doubling of native woodland by 2050 (4). That implies creating 124,000 ha of new native woodland over the next 40 years, in other words, rather more new woodland but over a longer period.
In welcoming the both Elin Jones’ announcement and the report of the Land Use and Climate Change Group (LUCCG) report, the Woodland Trust makes the following points:
• While all trees can absorb carbon from the atmosphere, native trees offer a particular range of benefits, in terms wildlife habitats, absorption of water and adding to the quality of the landscape. The Woodland Trust therefore hopes that the 100,000 ha target will be reached as the LUCCG suggested by planting “mainly adapted native deciduous species but with some conifers, based on a soil type and topography to maximise hydrological benefits and improve biodiversity connectivity, whilst minimising agricultural impacts and effects on landscape/tourist values”.
• The LUCCG report highlights the opportunity of creating new woodland on rough grazing land which is of limited agricultural value. Coed Cadw agrees but also believes there can be great benefit in creating small areas of new woodland across all farmland in the form of shelter belts, copses, hedges and streamside corridors, and that this would support good husbandry and hence food production. The potential of this approach has already been demonstrated by farmers in Wales in the acclaimed Pontbren scheme in Montgomeryshire (5).
• The suggestion is that the tree planting should be carried out by farmers on their own land with the support from the Assembly. Coed Cadw welcomes this and recognised that this is a good opportunity for many Welsh farmers.
• Tree planting can make a really valuable contribution to reducing green house gas emissions, but this has to be part of a much wider transition towards a low carbon economy and more integrated land management.
• Coed Cadw is keen to work with landowners, the Welsh Assembly Government, the Forestry Commission and other agencies, local authorities and private companies to help deliver an increase in native tree cover across Wales. The charity has its own project, MOREwoods (6), to help support landowners in planting trees, and it is already working with the Assembly Government to plant a native tree for every child born or adopted in Wales, through the Plant! project (7). Anyone keen to work with Coed Cadw in planting trees should visit www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/morewoods or ring Emma Mayo on 0845 293 5689.
For media enquiries contact:
Rory Francis (Publicity and Public Affairs Officer for Wales) on 08452 935 738 or 07760 171174 Afallon, Tanygrisiau, Blaenau Ffestiniog, Gwynedd LL41 3RH Email roryfrancis@woodland-trust.org.uk
Or The Woodland Trust Press Office email media@woodland-trust.org.uk or Tel 01476 581121
Or Anna Heslop, Campaigns Officer for Wales, on 08452 935 735 or 07824 416 518
Notes for editors
1. Glastir is a new agri-environmental scheme being introduced in Wales from 2012. More details on the Assembly website here.
2. The announcement was made during a Ministerial statement on the Glastir scheme on Tuesday 16 March. It can be downloaded verbatim here, or the footage viewed here. (The statement was made in Welsh, so the voice here in the English version is that of the translator.)
3. The report has now been published on the Welsh Assembly Government’s website here.
4. Details of the Woodland Trust’s petition for a doubling of native woodland in Wales are available online here.
5. More background to the Pontbren scheme is availabe online here.
6. Details of the MOREwoods scheme are available online here.
7. Details of the Plant! project are available online here.
Coed Cadw (The Woodland Trust)
The Woodland Trust is the UK’s leading woodland conservation charity. It has 300,000 members and supporters. The Trust has three key aims: i) to enable the creation of more native woods and places rich in trees; ii) to protect native woods, trees and their wildlife for the future and; iii) to inspire everyone to enjoy and value woods and trees.
Established in 1972, the Woodland Trust now has over 1,000 sites in its care covering approximately 20,000 hectares (50,000 acres). These include over 100 sites in Wales, with a total area of 1,580 hectares (3,900 acres). It offers free public access to nearly all of its sites. Further news can be accessed via www.coed-cadw.org.uk The Trust adopted its Welsh language name in 2000: “Coed Cadw”. This is an old Welsh term, used in medieval laws to describe protected or preserved woodland.
English
Coed Cadw (the Woodland Trust) yn croesawu targed y Cynulliad i blannu 100,000 hectar o goetir newydd
Yr elusen yn galw ar y Llywodraeth i gyflawni’n targed trwy blannu coed brodorol yn bennaf, yn unol ag argymhellion y Grwp Defnydd Tir a Newid Hinsawdd
Mae Coed Cadw (the Woodland Trust), prif elusen gwarchod coetir Gwledydd Prydain, wedi croesawu bwriad Llywodraeth y Cynulliad i greu 100,000 ha o goetir newydd dros yr 20 mlynedd nesaf - ond maent wedi galw ar y Llywodraeth i gyflawni hyn trwy blannu coed brodorol yn bennaf yn unol â chyngor arbenigol.
Mae gweledigaeth y Llywodraeth i greu coetir yn ymestyn dros 20 mlynedd, a hynny trwy’r cynllun amaeth-amgylcheddol newydd Glastir (1), yn ôl Elin Jones, Gweinidog Materion Gwledig Cymru, a wnaeth y cyhoeddiad Ddydd Mawrth y 16 Mawrth (2).
Roedd hi’n ymateb i argymhellion Grwp Defnydd Tir a Newid Hinsawdd (3) a sefydlodd hi'r llynedd er mwyn cael hyd i ffyrdd i gwrdd â thargedau heriol y Cynulliad i leihau allyriannau nwyon ty gwydr o Gymru.
Dywed Jerry Langford, Cyfarwyddwr Coed Cadw yng Nghymru: “Rydym ni’n croesawu’r cam beiddgar yma gan Elin Jones, sy’n dangos gwir ymrwymiad i weithredu i fynd i’r afael â newid yr hinsawdd, fel sydd ei angen. I wireddu hyn fe fydd angen newid mawr ym maint y coetir newydd sy’n cael ei greu yng Nghymru. Dwi’n gobeithio’n fawr y gellir gosod pwysoliadau a thaliadau Glastir a grantiau’r Comisiwn Coedwigaeth er mwyn gwneud hyn yn bosib. Heb os, mae hyn yn gyfle i ffermwyr Cymru.
“Mae coetir newydd yn cynnig ystod eang o fanteision i dirfeddianwyr a’r cyhoedd. Maen nhw’n cynnig coed tân i’r ffermdy a chysgod i’r stoc, maen nhw helpu lleihau llifogydd, yn gwella ansawdd dwr, yn gallu cynnig incwm o bren, yn cynnig cynefinoedd gwell i fyd natur ac yn gwella ansawdd yr amgylchedd i bobl, a hyn i gyd yn ogystal ag amsugno carbon o’r awyrgylch. Os plannir coed yn y lleoedd iawn, fe allan nhw fod yn elfen bwysig o hwsmonaeth dda, ac felly cefnogi cynhyrchu bwyd.
“Lluniwyd yr adroddiad Defnydd Tir a Newid Hinsawdd gan grwp o wyddonwyr ac arbenigwyr polisi o dan gadeiryddiaeth alluog yr Athro Gareth Wyn Jones o Brifysgol Cymru Bangor. Mae’n dadlau’n awdurdodol y dylid mabwysiadu polisi i greu coetir ac rydym wrth ein bodd fod y Gweinidog wedi derbyn hyn, gan ddangos esiampl gadarnhaol i weddill Prydain a’r byd.”
Mae’r Grwp Defnydd Tir a newid yr Hinsawdd yn awgrymu y gellir lleihau maint y nwyon ty gwydr sy’n cael eu rhyddhau yn y Gymru Wledig at ei gilydd o ryw 80% erbyn 2040, gan gynyddu cynaladwyaeth a gallu’r wlad i wrthsefyll digwyddiadau annisgwyl, os bydd ei argymhellion yn cael eu mabwysiadu. Mae’r rhain yn cynnwys plannu coed, mesurau i leihau maint y methan a roddir allan i’r awyr ac i ddatblygu ynni adnewyddol.
Ym mis Medi 2009 fe gyflwynodd Coed Cadw ddeiseb yn dwyn dros 2000 o enwau i’r Cynulliad Cenedlaethol, yn galw am ddyblu maint y coetir brodorol erbyn 2050 (4). Mae hynny’n golygu creu 124,000 o goetir brodorol newydd dros y 40 mlynedd nesaf, sef ychydig o fwy o goetir ond dros gyfnod hirach.
Wrth groesawu cyhoeddiad Elin Jones ac adroddiad y Grwp Defnydd Tir a Newid yr Hinsawdd, mae Coed Cadw’n gwneud y pwyntiau a ganlyn:
• Tra bod pob coeden yn gallu amsugno carbon o’r awyrgylch, mae coed brodorol yn cynnig manteision arbennig, o ran cynefinoedd i fywyd gwyllt, amsugno dwr a gwella ansawdd y tirwedd. Felly, mae Coed Cadw’n gobeithio y gellir cyrraedd y targed o blannu 100,000 ha o goetir trwy blannu: “amrywiaeth o goed collddail brodorol, sydd wedi ymaddasu’n dda i’r senario newid hinsawdd gymedrig, a chonwydd, yn ogystal â rhywfaint o adfywhad naturiol”, a hynny yn unol ag argymhellion y grwp Defnydd Tir a Newid yr Hinsawdd.
• Mae’r adroddiad yn tanlinelli’r cyfle i greu coetir newid ar borfeydd garw heb fod o werth mawr ar gyfer amaethyddiaeth. Mae Coed Cadw yn cytuno, ond rydyn ni’n pwysleisio hefyd y buasai yna fanteision o greu darnau bychain o goetir mewn lleiniau cysgod, ac ar hyd nentydd ac afonydd ar dir sydd wedi’i wella. Fe fyddai hyn yn cefnogi hwsmonaeth dda ac felly cynhyrchu bwyd. Mae potensial yr agwedd hon wedi cael ei dangos gan gynllun Pontbren yn Sir Drefaldwyn (5).
• Yr awgrym yw y byddai’r coed yn cael eu plannu gan ffermwyr ar eu tir eu hunain gyda chefnogaeth y Cynulliad. Mae Coed Cadw yn croesawu hyn ac yn cydnabod fod hyn yn gyfle da i lawer o ffermwyr Cymru.
• Fe all plannu coed wneud cyfraniad gwerthfawr iawn o ran lleihau allyriannau nwyon ty gwydr. Ond mae rhaid i hyn fod yn rhan o newid ehangach o lawer tuag at economi carbon isel a dulliau i reoli tir mwy integredig.
• Mae Coed Cadw yn awyddus i weithio gyda thirfeddianwyr, Llywodraeth y Cynulliad, y Comisiwn Coedwigaeth ac asiantaethau eraill, awdurdodau lleol a chwmnïau preifat i helpu cynyddu maint y coetir brodorol ar draws Cymru. Mae gan yr elusen ei brosiect ei hun sef YCHWANEGoed (6), i helpu cefnogi tirfeddianwyr i blannu coed, ac mae’n gweithio gyda Llywodraeth y Cynulliad i blannu coeden frodorol ar gyfer pob plentyn sy’n cael ei eni neu’i fabwysiadu yng Nghymru, a hynny trwy brosiect Plant! (7). Fe ddylai unrhyw un sydd â’i fryd ar blannu coed ymweld â gwefan www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/morewoods neu ffonio Emma Mayo ar 0845 293 5689.
Fe all y cyfryngau gysylltu â:
Rory Francis (Publicity and Public Affairs Officer for Wales) ar 08452 935 738 neu 07760 171174 Afallon, Tanygrisiau, Blaenau Ffestiniog, Gwynedd LL41 3RH e-bost roryfrancis@woodland-trust.org.uk
Neu swyddfa’r wasg Coed Cadw yn Grantham sef media@woodland-trust.org.uk neu 01476 581121
Neu Anna Heslop, Swyddog Ymgyrchoedd, ar 08452 935 735 neu 07824 416 518 neu e-bost annaheslop@woodlandtrust.org.uk
Notes for editors
1. Cynllun amaeth-amgylcheddol newydd yw Glastir, a gaiff ei gyflwyno yn 2012. Mae rhagor o fanylion ar wefan y Cynulliad yma.
2. Gwnaed y cyhoeddiad yn ystod datganiad am gynllun Glastir Ddydd Mawrth y 16 Mawrth. Gellir is-lwytho adroddiad verbatim yma, neu weld fideo o’r datganiad yma.
3. Mae’r adroddiad wedi cael ei gyhoeddi ar wefan y Cynulliad erbyn hyn yma.
4. Mae manylion deiseb Coed Cadw dros ddyblu coetir brodorol yng Nghymru ar gael ar-lein yma.
5. Mae rhagor o gefndir am gynllun Pontbren ar gael arlein yma.
6. Mae manylion y cynllun YCHWANEGoed ar gael yma.
7. Mae manylion prosiect Plant! ar gael ar wefan Llywodraeth y Cynulliad yma.
Coed Cadw (The Woodland Trust)
Coed Cadw yw’r elusen fwyaf yn y DU sy’n canolbwyntio ar warchod coedlannau. Mae ganddo 300,000 o aelodau. Mae gan y mudiad dri amcan allweddol, sef: i) galluogi creu rhagor o goedlannau brodorol a lleoedd sy’n frith o goed, ii) diogelu coedlannau a choed brodorol a’r bywyd gwyllt sy’n gysylltiedig â nhw at y dyfodol a iii) ysbrydoli pawb i fwynhau a gwerthfawrogi coedlannau a choed.
Sefydlwyd Coed Cadw (neu’r Ymddiriedolaeth Coedlannau gynt) yn 1972. Erbyn hyn mae’n gofalu am dros 1,000 o safleoedd, gydag arwynebedd o 20,000 hectar (50,000 erw). Mae’r rhain yn cynnwys dros 100 o safleoedd yng Nghymru, gydag arwynebedd o 1,580 hectar (3,900 erw). Mae’r safleoedd hyn bron i gyd ar agor i’r cyhoedd. Gellir cael rhagor o newyddion ar wefan www.coedcadw.org.uk Fe fabwysiadodd Coed Cadw ei enw Cymraeg yn 2000. Hen derm Cymraeg yw “coed cadw” a ddefnyddiwyd yng nghyfreithiau’r Oesoedd Canol i gyfeirio at goedlannau a warchodwyd yn arbennig.