What considerations has the Cabinet Secretary given to creating a strategic tree planting programme with a focus on water catchment?
The Welsh Government actively promotes tree planting as a key measure to slow runoff, improve infiltration and store water in catchments, which in turn helps reduce sediment and nutrient loading within our water environment. There are funding priorities with a dedicated Natural Flood Management (NFM) grant and woodland creation grants that support this objective. Combining NFM with Sustainable Farming Scheme incentives will create a holistic approach to managing water, soil, and biodiversity across the landscape, while also contributing to climate adaptation and long-term water quality improvements.