I ddarllen y blog yma yn y Gymraeg, cliciwch yma os gwelwch yn dda.
Over the last few months we’ve been campaigning for new policies to help manage Welsh land in a way that’s good for people, farmers and nature. The State of Nature report (2016) found that intensive farming in the UK has had by far the largest negative impact on wildlife, across a wide range of habitats and species. This was bad news for nature in Wales because over 80% of our land is farmed (find out more in this blog). But not only is the land important for wildlife, it’s also important for people. It provides us with the air we breathe, the clean water we drink and helps prevent flooding too. For all these reasons, we need Welsh land management policies that succeed in providing all these benefits for people and wildlife.
Andy Hay, rspb-images.com
Which is why, on Friday 24 March, we welcomed the very positive report by Welsh Assembly’s Climate Change, Environment and Rural Affairs Committee on “the future of land management in Wales” that concluded their six month inquiry. The report opened by stating that future policy must support land managers to produce a range of outcomes for the benefit of nature and society; including food production, protecting countryside rich in nature, reducing the impacts of climate change and building resilient rural communities.
What’s more, the report says future financial support for agriculture and rural development must contribute to achieving the targets, aspirations and goals set out in recent Welsh laws; the Environment (Wales) Act 2016 and the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015. These are all fantastic recommendations that reflect our ambitions for a future where we can manage our land alongside nature, whilst also benefiting it.
It was also encouraging to see the report highlighting RSPB Cymru’s supporters campaign and we want to say a huge thank you to everyone who wrote to the committee – it really proves that your voices have power to make change happen. Receiving all your emails (over 400 in the end!) was a clear message to the committee that people throughout Wales wanted farming and land management that’s good for people, farmers and nature. However, it also shows that the committee are committed to listening to the Welsh public and acting on what they hear.
If taken on board by the Welsh Government, the exciting thing is the recommendations in this report could have a profound impact on the health, wellbeing and resilience of both people and nature in Wales. We believe it is the duty of the Welsh Government to act in line with the Wellbeing of Future Generations Act and the Environment Act. This can be done by listening to the Committee’s well-considered, forward-thinking report, when deciding on the future of land management policy in Wales.
By changing our approach to farming and land management, Wales has an opportunity to revolutionise the way we work with nature for the benefit of all. Let’s hope Welsh Government takes this opportunity and forges a brighter future for the people of Wales.