What action is the Welsh Government taking to ensure that tree felling on non-commercial private land does not undermine the Welsh Government’s ambitions for improved tree cover and offset the potential gains of tree planting in Wales?
Answered by Deputy Minister for Climate Change | Answered on 21/01/2022
Alongside creating new woodlands, maintaining our existing woodlands is a vital aspect of tackling climate change and enhancing biodiversity.
There are a number of regulatory controls over the felling of trees which apply in Wales, for both commercial and non-commercial woodlands. These are:
- The felling licence regime as set out in the Forestry Act 1967, regulated by Natural Resources Wales (NRW). Most felling licences granted are conditional upon replanting the area and form an integral part of forest management.
- Permanent deforestation for conversion to another land is regulated under the Environmental Impact Assessment (Forestry) (England and Wales) Regulations 1999, also administered by NRW.
- Removal of trees for development is covered by the planning system administered by local authorities. Planning Policy Wales 11 sets out Welsh Government planning policies and provides a strong framework for the protection of trees, requiring compensatory planting where trees are removed as part of planning permission.
- Tree Preservation Orders, also administered by local authorities, can be used to protect individual or groups of trees.