Gwyddoniaeth lawn-ofal yng Nghymru

Mae prosiect ‘Post-colonial biosecurity possibilities’ hefyd yn cydweithio gydag ymchwilwyr yn y Deyrnas Unedig gyda ffocws penodol ar Gymru. Mae bioddiogelwch a threfedigaethedd yn faterion byd-eang, a chafodd ein harsylwadau fudd o drafod syniadau gyda thimau bioddiogelwch y tu allan i Aotearoa. Cymru yw trefedigaeth gyntaf y DU ac mae hithau ei hun yn wladychwr. Mae anghenion a dulliau gweithredu bioddiogelwch yng Nghymru yn wahanol i’r rhai yn Aotearoa ond codir cwestiynau tebyg ynghylch pwy sy’n gofalu am goed a sut y gellir ymateb i fygythiadau i iechyd coed.

Iechyd coed: Ynn yw'r drydedd goeden fwyaf cyffredin yn y DU ac mae cledfyd coed ynn (Hymenoscyphus fraxineus) yn cael effaith sylweddol gyda llawer o goed ynn yn cael eu colli yn y DU. Phytophthora ramorum yw’r clefyd coed mwyaf difrifol i effeithio ar goedwigoedd yng Nghymru ac mae wedi arwain at golli miliynau o goed llarwydd, gan effeithio ar gynhyrchu pren ac weithiau ar fynediad i goedwigoedd. Yn ogystal ag ystyriaethau bioddiogelwch, mae cyrff llywodraethol a chadwraethwyr yn gweithio i gynyddu gorchudd coed a datblygu Coedwig Genedlaethol i Gymru – rhwydwaith cenedlaethol o goed ar hyd a lled y wlad. 

Beth wnaethom ni: Cynhalion ni gyfweliadau a gweithdai gyda rhanddeiliaid allweddol yng Nghymru i archwilio gofal ar gyfer coed, ystyriaethau bioddiogelwch, a chynyddu’r gorchudd coed ledled y wlad. Hefyd gofynnon ni pwy sy'n cael eu cynnwys neu eu heithrio o drafodaethau am newid tirwedd wrth gynyddu gorchudd coed. Soniodd ein rhanddeiliaid gan gynnwys llunwyr polisi, ymchwilwyr ac ymarferwyr am eu cysylltiadau personol â choed, oedd weithiau’n gwrthdaro â’u rôl fel gweithwyr proffesiynol. 

Beth ddysgom ni: Nodwyd bod llawer o bobl sy'n ymwneud â choed yn angerddol drostynt ac yn ddigalon wrth weld coed yn cael eu colli oherwydd yr holl blâu a chlefydau sy'n effeithio ar goed ar hyn o bryd. Er bod llawer o bethau cadarnhaol ynglŷn ag ymgysylltu â choed yn bersonol ac yn broffesiynol, trafodwyd hefyd y gall fod pethau negyddol. Nododd un person ei bod yn bosibl gofalu gormod. Cafwyd trafodaeth am densiynau posibl rhwng gwerthoedd personol a gwerthoedd y sefydliad a all gael eu cyfyngu gan bolisi a deddfwriaeth. Mynegwyd y farn ei bod yn bosibl i'r personol fod yn rhwystr.

Nododd rhanddeiliaid hefyd densiynau rhwng ystyriaethau bioddiogelwch (pa fath o goed y dylem ni eu plannu?) a thargedau rhifiadol (faint o goed y dylem  ni eu plannu?). Dywedodd un cyfwelai:

“…mae yna ddiffyg dealltwriaeth. Rydych chi'n defnyddio'r gair coedweddau, sut olwg sydd arnyn nhw a beth yw ein plâu endemig, beth sydd mewn perygl, beth yw'r ardaloedd sydd mewn perygl, beth ddylem ni fod yn ceisio ei wneud, a ddylem ni fod yn ceisio symud i ffwrdd o wahanol darddleoedd? Dydyn ni ddim yn cael y trafodaethau hynny, oherwydd y trafodaethau yw, 4,000 hectar y flwyddyn ar gyfer y deng mlynedd nesaf, beth bynnag, dim ond eu cael yn y ddaear.”

Er mwyn cyrraedd targedau Sero Net, mae llywodraeth Cymru wedi rhoi strategaeth uchelgeisiol i blannu coed ar waith. Fel rhan o’r trafodaethau ar y strategaeth, roedd awydd cryf i sicrhau bod y goeden iawn yn cael ei phlannu yn y lle iawn. Fodd bynnag, mae plannu coed yn newid y dirwedd a byddai’n rhaid i hynny gydnabod (fel y dywedodd un cyfwelai) bod:

"diwylliant Cymru … wedi'i seilio'n llwyr yn y dirwedd; y farddoniaeth, y gelfyddyd, pethau felly"

Gyda chyswllt rhwng bioddiogelwch ag iechyd coed, plannu coed a newid cymdeithasol a diwylliannol, siaradodd cyfweleion hefyd am yr angen i feddwl mewn systemau ('cydgysylltiedig') yn hytrach na chanolbwyntio ar elfennau unigol megis ble i blannu coed. Yn y bôn, mae bioddiogelwch yn cynnwys llawer o faterion cysylltiedig ynghylch diogelu iechyd coed sydd angen eu hystyried, fel y dywedodd un o’r coedwigwyr:

"mae bioddiogelwch yn drafodaeth am darddiad, coedwriaeth a gwytnwch, a systemau coedwriaeth…."

Yn fwy na meddwl mewn systemau, roedd bioddiogelwch hefyd yn ymwneud â sicrhau ffocws strategol. Fodd bynnag, siaradodd y cyfwelai nesaf am yr heriau sy'n codi yn sgil hyn oherwydd y nifer cynyddol o blâu a chlefydau coed, y nifer fach o bobl yng Nghymru sy’n ymwneud â bioddiogelwch, a’r amser sydd ei angen i gynnwys grwpiau, sefydliadau, a chymunedau perthnasol. Er bod angen i bawb gydweithio, roedd llawer o'r hyn oedd yn digwydd ym maes bioddiogelwch yn dameidiog yn hytrach nag yn gydgysylltiedig.

"felly rydych chi'n gweithredu'n ymatebol yn hytrach nag yn strategol, rydych chi'n dameidiog oherwydd nad oes gennych chi'r amser i gadw a chynnal y cysylltiadau hynny gyda'r grwpiau eraill a gwybod am bopeth arall sy'n digwydd".

Awgrymwyd y gallai effeithiau clefyd coed ynn a’i raddfa ledled Prydain effeithio ar weithwyr proffesiynol a’r modd y maent yn ystyried eu rolau. Nodwyd hefyd ei bod wedi cymryd amser hir i'r sector weld bod clefyd coed ynn yn fater pwysig sydd angen ei ystyried, gyda rhai sefydliadau ddim ond wedi cymryd sylw ohono o fewn yr ychydig flynyddoedd diwethaf. Fodd bynnag, ystyriwyd bod y clefyd hefyd yn gatalydd posibl i siarad am faterion bioddiogelwch. Nodwyd hefyd y gallai gael effaith fawr ar gyllid sefydliadau wrth iddynt ymdrin â’r clefyd, yn enwedig o ran ystyriaethau iechyd a diogelwch. Roedd y trafodaethau hefyd yn cyffwrdd â chadwyni cyflenwi ac o ble roedd cyflenwyr coed a rheolwyr tir yn cael eu coed i’w plannu ac a oedd materion bioddiogelwch yn cael eu hystyried yn ddigonol. Mae cyllid hefyd o bosibl yn chwarae rhan wrth i’n rhanddeiliaid nodi bod rhai yn chwilio am yr opsiynau coed rhatach heb gyfeirio at darddiad neu ystyriaethau bioddiogelwch. Nodwyd hefyd bod angen yr amser arweiniol o ychydig flynyddoedd ar feithrinfeydd i dyfu’r hyn sydd ei angen ar gyfer plannu coed ar raddfa fawr fel y bydd ei angen yng Nghymru.

Mae Aotearoa a Chymru’n ddau gyd-destun bioddiogelwch gwahanol, ond mae rhannau o gymdeithas yn y ddau le wedi'u heithrio rhag gwneud penderfyniadau ac mae'r ddau wedi colli tir, diwylliant ac iaith i wladychwyr.

"Felly, yng Nghymru … ceir hanes hir o broblemau trefedigaethol… [Cymru] yn atodiad...nid yn...gwlad ddatganoledig go iawn [fel yr Alban]...pe baech chi'n sôn am yr hyn sy’n digwydd ar dir pobl, a’r penderfyniadau … ynghylch bioddiogelwch, pwy sy'n cael gwneud y penderfyniadau hynny ac o ble y daw'r pwerau hynny..."

Yn y cyd-destun cyfoes, mae datganoli gwleidyddol yn golygu bod y dull o reoli coedwigoedd yn wahanol i Loegr. Mae datganoli yng Nghymru yn rhoi pwerau i lywodraeth Cymru gael mwy o hunanlywodraeth. Fodd bynnag, mae’r diffyg adnoddau yng Nghymru yn golygu ei bod yn dibynnu ar Loegr am gymorth gyda materion bioddiogelwch fel y mae’r dyfyniad hwn yn ei amlygu,

"Mewn ffordd does dim dewis gennym ni, oherwydd rydyn ni bob amser yn mynd i ddibynnu ar Loegr i wneud y pethau sydd angen i ni eu gwneud, yn enwedig wrth sôn am sgiliau, gwybodaeth, galluoedd labordy, defnyddio arolygwyr iechyd planhigion, a phethau felly... Mae'r Alban wedi dangos ei fod yn gallu gweithio ond ...maen nhw o'n blaenau ni".

O ran ymchwil sy'n canolbwyntio ar fioddiogelwch, cafwyd mwy a mwy o ymchwil yn y gwyddorau cymdeithasol yn ddiweddar yn archwilio ystyriaethau llywodraethu, ymddygiad, a gwerthoedd yn ogystal â gwybodaeth ac ymwybyddiaeth o wahanol faterion yn ymwneud â phlâu a chlefydau.

"mae gennym ni lawer o waith cysylltu i'w wneud o hyd ... llawer o seilwaith i'w roi ar waith ... Ddeng mlynedd yn ôl ... dim ond y patholegwyr ... entomolegwyr a ... choedwigwyr oedd yna... ac erbyn hyn mae’n fater cymdeithasol, felly rwy'n meddwl ein bod wedi dod yn bell mewn deng mlynedd".

Trafodwyd yr economeg a'r cymhellion sy'n gysylltiedig â phlannu coed hefyd gydag awydd am fwy o adnoddau er mwyn gallu symud ymlaen gyda phlannu ar raddfa fawr. Dywedwyd bod angen gwireddu economeg coedwigoedd newydd mewn cymunedau lleol yn ogystal â'r manteision posibl i les cymunedol.  Awgrymwyd bod rôl i goedwigaeth fasnachol fel elfen o'r rhaglen plannu coed newydd ac fel rhan o goedwigoedd gwydn. Ond hefyd, trafodaeth am amaeth-goedwigaeth a sut y byddai'n bwysig bod hyn yn cynyddu. Fodd bynnag, nodwyd bod ucheldiroedd Cymru, er enghraifft, yn dirwedd ddiwylliannol sydd wedi canolbwyntio ar ffermio yn hytrach na choetiroedd yn ddiweddar.

Yn gyffredinol: Nid yw bioddiogelwch wedi bod yn uchel ar yr agenda ac mae wedi tueddu i gael ei gynnwys yn y ddisgwrs ar wydnwch. Roedd cydnabyddiaeth y gallai fod angen mwy o amser iddo gael mwy o sylw a chydnabyddiaeth, ac roedd hyn yn dechrau digwydd oherwydd effeithiau clefyd coed ynn a phytophthora ramorum. Awgrymwyd bod cydweithio ac ymgysylltu â phartneriaethau yn wersi pwysig i'w dysgu ar draws sefydliadau a hefyd i godi bioddiogelwch ar yr agenda. O ran coedweddau newydd, mae polisïau a strategaethau bellach ar waith, fodd bynnag, credwyd bod cyflawni a gweithredu ar lawr gwlad yn weddol araf ar hyn o bryd, er gwaethaf y targedau uchelgeisiol a osodwyd yng Nghymru. Mae newid diwylliant yn bwysig mewn amrywiol ffyrdd: diwylliant proffesiynol a threfniadol, diwylliant ffermio, tirweddau diwylliannol lle mae ffermio'n cael y llaw uchaf, trefniadau diwylliannol y gellir eu defnyddio i gyflawni targedau uchelgeisiol ac ymdrin â phroblemau plâu a chlefydau allweddol. Roedd gofalu am goedweddau'n cael ei ystyried yn bwysig dros ben ond ystyriwyd hefyd fod i hyn rai agweddau negyddol yn ogystal â chadarnhaol gyda theimladau o golled yn gysylltiedig ag effaith plâu a chlefydau.

Gall dealltwriaeth o'r ddwy wlad roi darlun cyfoethocach ac adnabod dulliau o archwilio perthnasoedd, gwerthoedd a gwaddol trefedigaethol sy'n cynnig cyfleoedd pwysig i ddysgu, myfyrio a newid.

Mobilising for Action, Ngā Rākau Taketake programme.

 The project ‘Post-colonial biosecurity possibilities’ is also collaborating with researchers in the United Kingdom (UK) with a particular focus on Wales. Both biosecurity and colonialism are global issues, and our observations benefitted from exploring ideas with biosecurity teams outside of Aotearoa. Wales is the UK’s first colony and is itself a coloniser. Biosecurity needs and approaches in Wales differ from those in Aotearoa but raise similar questions about who cares for trees and how threats to the health of trees can be responded to.

Tree health: Ash is the third most common tree in the UK and a disease called ash dieback (Hymenoscyphus fraxineus) is having a significant impact with the loss of many ash trees in the UK. Phytophthora ramorum is the most serious tree disease to have affected forests in Wales and has resulted in the loss of millions of larch trees, impacting timber production and sometimes access to forests. In addition to biosecurity issues, government bodies and conservationists are working to increase tree cover and develop a National Forest for Wales – a nation-wide network of trees across the length and breadth of the country.

What we did: We undertook interviews and workshops with key stakeholders in Wales to explore care for trees, biosecurity issues, and increasing tree cover across the country. We also asked about who is included in or excluded from discussions about landscape change with increased tree cover. Our stakeholders including policy makers, researchers and practitioners talked about their personal connections to trees which were sometimes in conflict with their role as professionals.  

What we learnt: It was outlined that many involved with trees are passionate about them and are disheartened to see tree loss due to the number of current pests and diseases affecting trees. There was some discussion that while there are many positives in being engaged with trees personally and professionally there can be negatives as well. Someone outlined that there is potential to care too much. There was some discussion about possible tensions between personal values, and institutional values which can be constrained by policy and legislation. It was thought that there was some potential for the personal to get in the way.

Stakeholders also identified tensions between biosecurity issues (what types of trees should we plant?) and numerical targets (how many trees should we plant?). One interviewee said:

“…there’s a lack of understanding. You use the word treescapes, what they look like and what are our endemic pests, what’s at risk, what are the areas at risk, what should we be trying to do, should we be trying to move away from different provenances? We’re not having those discussions, because the discussions are, 4,000 hectares a year for the next ten years, whatever, just get them in the ground.”

To meet Net Zero targets, the Welsh government has put in place an ambitious tree planting strategy. As part of the discussions around this strategy, there was a strong desire to ensure that the right tree is planted in the right place. However, tree planting changes the landscape and that would have to acknowledge (as one interviewee put it) that:

"Welsh culture is … totally grounded in the landscape; the poetry, the art, things like that"

With biosecurity linked to tree health, tree planting and social and cultural change, interviewees also talked about the need for more systems (‘joined-up’) thinking rather than a focus on individual elements such as where to plant trees. Fundamentally, biosecurity includes many related issues about protecting tree health that need to be considered, as one of the foresters said:

"biosecurity [is] a discussion about provenance, silviculture and resilience, and silviculture systems…."

More than systems thinking, biosecurity was also about having a strategic focus. However, the following interviewee talked about the challenges of this due to the increasing number of tree pests and diseases, the small number of people in Wales involved in biosecurity, and the time needed to include relevant groups, organisations, and communities. Despite needing everyone to work together, a lot of what happened in biosecurity was fragmented and not joined up.

"so you're acting reactively instead of strategically, you're fragmented because you don’t have the time to keep and to maintain those connections with the other groups and keep on  top of what else is going on".

It was suggested that the effects of ash dieback and the scale of it across Britain might have an effect on professionals and how they look at their roles. It was also outlined that ash dieback has taken a long time to get through to the sector as an important issue that needs to be taken note of, with some organisations only really taking notice of it within the last few years. However, the disease was also seen as a potential catalyst to talk about biosecurity issues. It was also noted that it could have a big impact on organisational finances as they deal with the disease, particularly in terms of health and safety issues. The discussions also touched on supply chains and where suppliers of trees, and land managers were getting their trees from for planting and whether the biosecurity issues were being considered enough. Finance also potentially plays a role as our stakeholders outlined that some seek the cheaper tree options without reference to provenance or biosecurity issues. It was also outlined that nurseries need the lead in time of a few years to grow what is needed for the large-scale tree planting that will be required in Wales.

Aotearoa and Wales are two different biosecurity contexts, but both have sections of society who are excluded from decision making and both have lost land, culture, and language to colonisers.

"So, in Wales … there’s a long history of colonial issues … [Wales] …[I]f you were talking about what happens on peoples’ land, and the decision making … around biosecurity, who gets to make those decisions and where those powers come from…"

In the contemporary context, political devolution means that the approach to forest management is distinct from England. Devolution in Wales provides powers to the Welsh Assembly government for greater self-governance. However, the lack of resources in Wales means that it relies on England for support with biosecurity issues as this quote highlights,

"In a way, England has got us over a barrel a little bit, because we’re always going to be reliant upon them to do the things that we need to do, especially when we’re talking about  skills, knowledge, lab capabilities, access to plant health inspectors, and things like that …  Scotland has shown it can work but ... they’re ahead of us."

In terms of research focused on biosecurity there has been an increasing amount of social science research in recent times to explore issues of governance, behaviours, and values as well as knowledge and awareness of different pest and disease issues.

"we’ve still got a lot of connecting to do … a lot of infrastructure to put in place …Ten years ago … it was just the pathologists … entomologists and … foresters … and now it’s become a societal issue, so I think we have come a long way in ten years".

The economics and incentives related to tree planting were also discussed with a desire for more resources to enable large scale planting to proceed. It was said the economics of new forests need to be realised in local communities as well as the potential benefits to community wellbeing.  It was suggested that there was a role for commercial forestry as an element of the new tree planting programme and as part of resilient forests. But also, discussion about agroforestry and how stepping this up would be important. However, it was noted that for example the uplands of Wales are a cultural landscape that has been focused on farming not on woodlands in recent times.

Overall: Biosecurity has not been high on the agenda and has tended to be subsumed within the discourse of resilience. There was recognition that more time is potentially needed for it to gain greater notice and recognition, and this was starting due to the impacts of ash dieback and phytophthora ramorum. Partnership collaboration and engagement was suggested as important to learn lessons across organisations and also to bring biosecurity higher up the agenda. In terms of new treescapes there are policies and strategies now in place, however delivery and action on the ground was thought to be fairly slow at present, despite the ambitious targets set out in Wales. Culture change is important in various ways: professional and organisational culture, farming culture, cultural landscapes dominated by farming, cultural mechanisms that can be used to deliver ambitious targets and deal with key pest and disease problems. Caring for treescapes was viewed as extremely important but was also seen to have some negative as well as positive aspects with feelings of loss associated with the impact of pests and diseases.

Insights from both countries can provide a richer picture and identify approaches to exploring relationships, values and colonial legacies which provide important opportunities for learning, reflection, and change.