Planting Statistics: Wales ‘letting down future generations’ with tree planting failure

New tree planting statistics published today showed that just 680 hectares of new woodland was created in the year to 31 March 2026 - only 10% of the annual target of 6,000 hectares.

Elaine Heckley MICFor, National Manager for Wales, said: “This is a dismal failure, when all the evidence shows that we need to plant many more trees to create green jobs, build sustainable homes and support our climate change ambitions.

“What is actually happening is that the system makes it painfully difficult to plant trees - even though everyone, including the Welsh Government, knows we need to do it. Yet when they fail to get anywhere near those targets, there are no repercussions, there is no accountability.”

The Climate Change Committee, independent adviser to the Welsh, Scottish, and UK Governments, is looking to push up planting targets in Wales, but this will be academic if the system doesn’t change, according to Elaine.

“Planting trees, especially the conifers we need to build new homes across Wales, must be made much easier. They should be planted primarily on marginal land, leaving the best land for food production. But at the moment, it’s hard to plant anywhere - and by failing to get anywhere near our woodland creation targets, we are failing future generations.

“We have an Act that promises a better future for coming generations. By planting more trees, we can help deliver a better economic and environmental future. We are failing to deliver, and it simply isn’t good enough.”

Elaine added that Confor would continue to press the case for productive forestry and engage in continued constructive conversions with the new Welsh Government.

“To be fair to the new Plaid Cymru-led Government, it has inherited a real mess and we will work with ministers to help them to put things on the right track, to a better economic and environmental future."