Welsh Conservatives believe that it is enormously important that Welsh woodland is managed in a responsible way.

We have put forward our amendment to highlight the important contribution country pursuits, like horse riding, mountain-biking and shooting, make to the management of Welsh forestry.

Nearly two thirds of Welsh woodlands are in private hands… and it won’t be possible to meet the Minister’s objectives, outlined in this strategy, without getting private landowners on board.

We have laid this amendment because we believe that the strategy fails to recognise the value of country pursuits - particularly shooting sports – in providing an incentive for the active management and creation of ancient and native woodland.

The Strategy only makes a passing reference to the beneficial role of shooting sports, and we believe that there is a considerable untapped potential here, not just in game shooting, but to cater to the massive market for clay shoots.

Some years ago a farm next to me hosted a grand prix clay pigeon shoot, and it drew in over 10 thousand visitors, making a massive contribution to the local economy.

Forests can provide an ideal and natural acoustic buffer, to minimise the noise disturbance, and I believe there is also potential for trails for off-road bikes, to provide a legitimate outlet for the illegal activity that is currently damaging bridle paths and land in Welsh national parks.

Shooting sports influence the way half a million hectares of land are managed in Wales, and they make a considerable contribution to the economy – over 73 million pounds at the last count, and it supports the equivalent of 2600 jobs, 340 of them in full-time conservation work.

The Minister will be aware of the success of the Green Shoots North Wales scheme, where her officials from CCW have worked with BASC and the shooting community, this is a scheme that has seen the planting of thousands of trees, as well as a whole host of other initiatives to survey wildlife and improve habitats.

When the major threat to woodland isn’t deforestation – but the lack of management and under-thinning – engaging with the private sector, and those involved in country pursuits, should be a priority.

The strategy does, however, recognise the issue of the invasive pest species – particular the grey squirrel and deer populations.

Can the Minister outline specific proposals that she and her officials have been considering, both on the strategic and the targeted level.

I support the Strategy’s statement that Wales’ ancient woodland is ‘irreplaceable’, but given that your officials intend to clear-fell hundreds of hectares of publicly owned ancient woodland in the next three years, there are understandably concerns over the weight behind this commitment. 

Will you provide a reassurance that Wales’ ancient woodland will be genuinely protected, and that these won’t simply be warm words.

The strategy quite rightly refers to the importance of improving the Welsh forestry sector… and has a commitment to Wales developing a thriving skilled workforce. 

I would hope that the Minister would agree that this outcome will only be possible if the forestry sector is market-led.

There are great opportunities for Welsh firms, particularly in making better use of lower quality timber – in composite, laminate, I-beams, flooring, and so on – that’s now possible thanks to modern technology. 

I believe that far too little Welsh lower-quality timber is processed in this way.  Does the Minister share this view, and will she give a commitment to supporting businesses developing new and innovative wood products in this way?

Does the Minister also recognise the growing demand for wood for agri-environment schemes – my own farm has put in excess of 1500 wooden stakes for Tir Gofal, and this will only continue in the transition to Glastir.  Clearly it is more sustainable for Welsh, not imported, wood to be used in these schemes.

And finally, does the Minister support the use of brush and waste wood for biomass – this has long been the case in Austria and Germany, where a true value is put on this resource.