North Wales Assembly Member Mark Isherwood has called on the Welsh Government to help ensure that a Wrexham based timber company, that is playing a world-leading role in forestry genetics research and development, keeps its Research Lab in Wales.
Questioning the Minister for Environment , Energy and Rural Affairs, Lesley Griffiths AM, in the Welsh Parliament yesterday over forestry policy, Mr Isherwood referred to his summer visit to BSW Timber Group at Maelor Forest Nurseries Holdings Ltd in Bronington, and the concerns they raised with him regarding future research development in Wales.
Speaking in the Chamber, Mr Isherwood said:
“Two weeks ago, the Confederation of Forest Industries – Confor - stated that, at present, only a third of the budget is available to meet the Welsh Government's minimum target of creating 2,000 hectares of new woodland each year and to meet its climate emergency aspirations. I understand that the Welsh forestry sector generates £528 million gross value added for Wales, supporting 10,000 jobs, and, of course, plays a major role in carbon dioxide sequestration, or carbon capture and storage.
“During the summer, I visited BSW Timber Group at Maelor Forest Nurseries Holdings in Bronington, Wrexham, just outside your constituency, who told me about the world-leading role they're playing in forestry genetics research and development—the only nursery in the UK carrying out this key work, developing species to make them more sustainable as the climate changes. They told me that they're investing heavily in this research and development and planning further long-term investments, that the Scottish Government is opening the door to them and trying to encourage them to go there, but that they're looking to the Welsh Government to encourage them and incentivise them to stay in Wales and develop the lab they have there. So, what support will you give to ensure that this world-beating research stays in Wales and doesn't emigrate to Scotland?”
Responding, the Minister said: “I'm not aware that I have been asked for support, but there could be something in the pipeline that I haven't seen. But I'd certainly be very interested to visit there and have a look at their R&D. I think any R&D, particularly world-leading R&D, that's done in Wales, we would be very keen to keep here, in principle. So, I'd be very happy, if the Member would like to write to me around it, or ask them to write to me, and I'll certainly visit and take that forward”.
Mr Isherwood added: “As Confor Wales has stated, if the Welsh Government is serious about climate change, it needs to allocate more money for tree planting. Otherwise its Climate Emergency is just a ‘meaningless statement’. Meanwhile the UK Government is leading the way by starting to plant one million new trees from 2020 and launching its 25 Year Environment Plan to leave the environment in a better state than we found it”.
