Climate change: Uncontrolled tree planting 'could harm landscape'

Planting trees to tackle climate change could endanger some of Wales' most scenic landscapes, conservationists have warned.

Interest in afforestation as a means to offset carbon footprint has grown among individuals and large companies.

The Welsh government wants 86 million trees planted by the end of the decade to reach its net zero target by 2050.

But a charity fears this could badly affect communities, wildlife and landscapes if uncontrolled.

The Snowdonia Society has called for a "national conversation" to agree on controls over how and where these new trees are planted.

Large scale investment companies have already bought farms across the country, raising concerns it could damage local culture, language and heritage.

Roughly 15% of Wales' land area - 310,000 hectares - is woodland and the Welsh government wants to add a further 100,000 hectares by 2030.

There have been 700 hectares of conifer and 800 hectares of new broadleaf in Wales in the past five years, according to Forest Research.

The Woodland Investment Grant Scheme offers up to £250,000 for a scheme to expand existing woodland, or create new ones.

Snowdonia National Park Authority said it had received "considerable interest" from potential woodland developers over the past two years.

However, John Harold, director of The Snowdonia Society, said lessons should be learnt from previous afforestation schemes.

"When the money tap turns on we need to be prepared to respond," he said.

"We need to have the right policies and the right response in place because we are talking about potentially very large amounts of money behind the desire to do this offsetting.

"We've been here before, in the 70s and 80s when great dark blankets of plantation forestry were dropped on the landscape at random and we've been dealing with the consequences ever since. It impacts communities, landscape and wildlife.

"The [land] designations in place now are the same as in the 70s and 80s. We need more than relying on those tools. We need a conversation about where we want trees and where we can accommodate them."

The Commons' Welsh Affairs Committee last week called for greater transparency in the purchase of viable farmland by corporations using carbon offsetting schemes.

However, the Welsh government has said there is "very little evidence" valuable Welsh farmland is being sold off to investors to offset their carbon footprints.

Snowdonia National Park Authority said it has been approached about tree planting by a mix of parties, from individuals looking to offset their carbon footprint to agent-led applications for large swathes of land, mostly from England.

However, the authority's planning powers do not cover tree planting.

Rhys Owen, its head of conservation, agriculture and woodland, said: "We would have a response in terms of communities, culture and language, but direct power to say 'no' doesn't rest with the authority.

"It would have to be done in consultation with Natural Resources Wales and depend on what other designations are on that land, such as archaeological or special scientific interest."

He shared Mr Harold's concerns.

"We're talking about vast volumes of carbon sequestration options and big money. We might be subject to lots of enquiries and applications coming through as the race for carbon storage speeds up. It is a concern."

Natural Resources Wales said legislation to protect designated landscapes has been significantly strengthened in recent decades.

Dominic Driver, head of land stewardship, said: "We work closely with local stakeholders, landowners, farmers and the forestry sector to ensure that any impacts a new woodland may have on the surrounding areas are considered, as part of our collaborative effort to realise the social, environmental and economic benefits that trees can provide, now and in the future."

The Welsh government, which declared a climate emergency in 2019, said planting 86 million new trees by 2030 would offer a "considerable opportunity" to the rural economy to create green jobs and skills in harvesting timber.

Deputy minister for climate change Lee Waters added: "We are keen to avoid outside interests buying up land and we want to work with Welsh farmers and landowners to achieve this.

"The Welsh government will only fund woodland projects that are able to demonstrate they meet the high standards required by our schemes."