The Eryri National Park Authority adopted its first Tree and Woodland Strategy.

It is the result of nearly two years of co-designing with partners, the public, land owners and managers to expand, protect and restore the park’s wooded landscape, which has a key role to play in the response to the climate emergency and nature recovery efforts.

As they form ecosystems that play a critical role in carbon sequestration, they have co-designed a 100-year strategy based on three core principles including safeguarding existing trees, managing woodlands better, and connecting and expanding woodlands.

Work to compile a Supplementary Action Plan is underway. It will be a periodic action plan, setting out the actions gathered during a public consultation that took place in the New Year. During the consultation partners outlined how they could contribute to the implementation of the strategy over the coming five years.

Rhys Owen, Eryri National Park Authority Head of Conservation, Woodland and Agriculture said: “We’re immensely proud of this strategy, more so given that so many have been on the journey with us from start to finish. The co-operation of land owners and managers has been key in its development, and through discussions and consultation, and co-developing an action plan it will be a strategy that they can take ownership of, and as such, [is] viable and achievable.

“As well as the benefits to the environment, trees and woodlands are valuable assets that contribute to health and wellbeing through recreational, educational and community use. Thanks to this strategy, we can be confident that future generations will continue to benefit from what trees and woodlands have to offer”.

The aim is to complete and formally adopt the Supplementary Action Plan for the next five years by the end of May. A copy of the strategy is available on the park authority website.