North Wales MS and Wales Species Champion for the Curlew, Mark Isherwood, has raised concerns with the Minister for Climate Change that Curlew presence has not been taken into account when planting trees, despite assurances that it would be.
Earlier this year, Mr Isherwood called for the Welsh Government’s target for woodland planting to take account of the fact that woodlands provide an ideal habitat for the apex predators which target Curlew nests and chicks.
He was told that the Welsh Government is working with Gylfinir Cymru's Curlew Recovery Programme, which identifies specific Important Curlew Areas (ICAs) requiring focused conservation action.
He was therefore disappointed and concerned to hear that tree planting has happened in areas where Curlews are present.
Challenging the Minister over the concerns in yesterday’s meeting of the Welsh Parliament, he said:
“You won't be surprised to hear me refer to the iconic Curlew, because it is our most pressing bird conservation priority. Although Curlew recovery would benefit multiple species, estimated at around 70, it will be extinct as a breeding population in Wales within a decade without intervention.
“Questioning you here in March, I asked you what specific action you are taking to ensure that the Welsh Government's target for woodland planting in Wales takes account of the fact that woodland in the wrong places provides an ideal habitat for apex predators, whose predation of nests and chicks is a primary cause of Curlew breeding failure. In your reply, you stated that you were really pleased to be working alongside Gylfinir Cymru's Curlew Recovery Programme, which identifies specific Important Curlew Areas requiring focused conservation action.
“How, therefore, will you act to protect these areas in the context of e-mails subsequently received from Gylfinir Cymru members, stating, for example:
'I visited one site yestereday where, last year, there were two pairs of Curlews present, to find that one of their main feeding fields has just been planted with trees. Incidentally, this was also a favoured winter feeding area for Golden Plover, Lapwing, Woodcock, Snipe and Jack Snipe’?
And, a second one:
'I have sent my records in but didn't stop tree planting. Surely, planting needs consent, so why is Curlew presence not being taken into account?'”
In her response, the Minister, Julie James MS, said:
“Thank you, Mark. You have been a really excellent champion for the Curlew. I'm really sorry to hear that we have got that kind of e-mail coming in. If you want to send it in to me, I'm more than happy to have a look at it. A number of explanations spring to mind but I'm not going to hazard them because I don't know the exact circumstances of that. But we are looking to protect open grassland areas.”