Manifesto for the Welsh Parliament elections

Our manifesto outlines how trees can play a vital role in addressing the nature and climate crisis. They can help us rebuild an economy that's resilient to climate change, good for our wellbeing and nature-rich. One that's fit for present and future generations.

Our wellbeing has depended on trees and woods for centuries, providing the roots and branches for the cycle of life. Trees have always offered simple and cost-effective solutions to the challenges we all face. 

The manifesto sets out how trees work for nature, people and our economy. These 'roots' are the foundations for a green recovery in Wales: 

1. Green our towns and cities - bring trees and green spaces close to us all; they are naturally vital for our health and happiness in every way. We need trees to breathe, protect us from pollution and to reduce flooding. They shade us from extreme heat and will bring our much-loved nature closer to our homes. The services that trees provide save us money and lives.
2. Support farming communities with trees - trees and hedges have traditionally protected and provided for the welfare of farm animals. They naturally nourish, increase, and protect farm soils, both their fertility and their vital carbon store, enhancing their ability to grow. Trees provide a diverse and complex unique home for an abundance of nature. Their appropriate re-establishment will help to protect our communities from increasing adverse weather conditions caused by climate change. 
3. Connect Wales to a woodland economy - building every day connections to trees can help us to care for and increase our understanding of our natural environment. Their increase will improve the health and wellbeing of our communities by delivering a better quality of life and a more certain future for our children, as well as urgently addressing the climate and nature crisis. A woodland economy that looks after and expands our tree cover will provide jobs and significantly contribute to the green recovery of Wales.