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Telegraph suggests Welsh Government’s national tree giveaway program causing ‘harmful pollen’

11 May 2022 3 minute read
First Minister Mark Drakeford

The Telegraph newspaper has suggested that the Welsh Government’s national tree planting program is releasing “potentially harmful pollen,” leading alongside similar schemes to a rise in the number of sufferers of hay fever this spring.

A national project to give every household in Wales a free tree began handing out saplings in February.

The Telegraph however cited experts who said that planting “planting inexpensive, fast-growing trees” was “exposing children and adults to high levels of potentially harmful pollen”.

The newspaper noted that spring is the peak tree-planting period, with local government initiatives encouraging people to plant as many as possible.

“Meanwhile, the Welsh Government has pledged to give a tree to every household as part of its fight against the climate emergency,” they said.

“Although many of the trees offered through such schemes look attractive and have a minimal leaf fall, their pollen has been linked to increases in the numbers presenting with asthma, hay fever and respiratory problems.

“But, experts warn, by planting inexpensive, fast-growing trees – such as the silver birch – we are exposing children and adults to high levels of potentially harmful pollen.”

‘Wellbeing’

Deputy Climate Change Minister Lee Waters announced in December that every household in Wales would be offered a free tree as part of a Welsh Government project to fight climate change.

Welsh Government has teamed up with Coed Cadw, the Woodland Trust in Wales, to deliver the project, which will see 5,000 trees released to local households as part of a pilot scheme from five regional hubs in Llanrwst, Wrexham, Machynlleth, Swansea and Cwmbran.

In autumn, and to coincide with the next tree planting season, the scheme will be extended to 25 regional hubs across Wales where 200,000 will be available to collect.

At the launch, Lee Waters said: “It is great to be here to see the start of this project that will make a real difference in our commitment to reach net zero by 2050.

“We are in a climate and nature emergency and Wales is particularly vulnerable to increased flooding and coastal erosion as our weather changes, in order to become a Net Zero Wales by 2050 and strengthen our natural flood defences, we must plant 86 million trees over the next decade.

“It’s great to speak to families today and it is already clear to see that this project will help people further understand and experience the many benefits that trees can provide, not only to the environment but also to health and wellbeing.

“I would like to thank all involved at Coed Cadw for partnering with us to deliver this project and I look forward to seeing it extended later in the year.”


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Arwyn
Arwyn
2 years ago

Meanwhile, the Tories are threatening to tear up the Northern Ireland Protocol, alienate the majority of politicians in NI who are not against it simply to placate the hardline Unionists, plunge the UK into a trade war with the EU and drive up inflation in the middle of a cost of living crisis. Oh, and apparently food banks are being used more because people don’t know how to cook according to one Tory MP: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/foodbanks-lee-anderson-conservative-budget-b2076671.html

Absolute loons.

Last edited 2 years ago by Arwyn
Phil
Phil
2 years ago

Telegraph = irrelevant

Peter Cuthbert
Peter Cuthbert
2 years ago

Well, Surprise, Surprise. A Right Wing Billionaire owned ‘news’paper publishes an article suggesting that something the Welsh Government has done is wron/bad/harmful etc. Interesting that the name and qualifications of the quoted expert is not given so the reader gets no chance to assess the validity of the statement. Yes, trees tend to give off pollen in the Spring. Yes, some people suffer hay fever (that includes me) but the number of trees being planted is not so huge that it will have a significant impact on the pollen load. After all the issued trees will be saplings of (say)… Read more »

defaid
defaid
2 years ago
Reply to  Peter Cuthbert

Absolutely, and I’ll add that it’s not only the number of trees, nor really their stature, but their immaturity (a bit like the t#^t at the Telegraph).

If the new trees are the 18 inch whips in the photo above of MD with a shovel, they won’t be flowering for a few years yet so are contributing exactly zero pollen to our annual suffering.

I imagine the “expert” was the editor’s neighbour’s son, coming up to his GCSE in science.

Steve Duggan
Steve Duggan
2 years ago

The Torygraph – anything to knock the progress of the Senedd. Jealously or fear ? Probably both.

Y Cymro
Y Cymro
2 years ago

What a load of Tory Telegraph tripe! Firstly tree planting sucks up harmful carbone dioxide that not only protects our climate from global warming, its byproduct being the very oxygen we breath. And the so-called “harmful” pollen produced encourages insect populations, especially bees & butterflies , who themselves pollinate fruit & vegetable producing trees & plants that we all eat.

Mab Meirion
Mab Meirion
2 years ago

If Mr Waters wants to help he could take his foot off the Llanbedr By-Pass…see BBC Wales

Mab Meirion
Mab Meirion
2 years ago
Reply to  Mab Meirion

There were 170,000 trees and shrubs planted beside the 6 miles of the Caernarfon Bypass so up to nearly 30,000 trees and shrubs could be planted along the 1 mile bypass avoiding Llanbedr. The pollution from the summer queues through Llanbedr harms the tens of thousands of travellers sitting in their cars plus the residents of Llanbedr plus all the customers using The Vic pub garden yards from the single lane horse and carriage bridge in the middle of the village…I could go on…

Last edited 2 years ago by Mab Meirion
Kerry Davies
Kerry Davies
2 years ago
Reply to  Mab Meirion

Trees don’t do too well in sea water and the design for the road is to embankment it above the forecast rise in sea level.
All round bad idea. Just stop the natives parking on the road and Robert’s your aunties hubby.

Mab Meirion
Mab Meirion
2 years ago
Reply to  Kerry Davies

Don’t call them natives…you don’t include the 18 century bridge or the two busy road junctions, delivery vans and lorries or the buses, emergency vehicles and heavy goods vehicles, campers, cars towing caravans or the many pedestrians…not to mention the quality of life of the people of Llanbedr or the businesses trying to make a living on both sides of this narrow old road…there are plenty of trees there already…

Last edited 2 years ago by Mab Meirion
John
John
2 years ago
Reply to  Mab Meirion

Llanbedr is completely quiet except for 6 weeks of the year. A new road would be a waste of money – get the holiday makers to use the train instead!

Mab Meirion
Mab Meirion
2 years ago
Reply to  John

Even you John, must know that is wishful thinking…

Cynan
Cynan
2 years ago

The newspaper whose owner supported Hitler claims our trees are releasing “harmful” pollen? 😁😁😁
You couldn’t make it up …… oh wait! … They did

Kurt C
Kurt C
2 years ago

Yes tree pollen can be an issue. But cleaner air for all is much better. These billionaire owned capitalist hate rags have nothing to offer.

Cathy Hill
Cathy Hill
2 years ago
Reply to  Kurt C

Billionaires do not like things that are “for all” that kind of thing is as weird and gross to them as hoarding all of the resources and destroying the planet for profit is to us. They do not think like us, they are poisoned by money…. it’s like the lead in the Roman’s water pipes, the thing that sends them insane…..Poisoned by cash and assets and investment portfolios…….

Cathy Hill
Cathy Hill
2 years ago

…of course, this explains why my hayfever has been playing up. It’s probably a failed Welsh Labour/Sons of Glyndwr plot to try and prevent people from voting in the May local elections….

I wouldn’t line my cats tray with a copy of the Tellgraff in case some of the poison made it smell bad and gave her a case of the mind worms that its readership are infested with.

CJPh
CJPh
2 years ago

Enough to bring a tear to my eye… And that’s the extent of my symptoms.

The Original Mark
The Original Mark
2 years ago

Just goes to show exactly how low the English msm and journalists have fallen, I long for the day when they drag themselves out of the gutter, but I won’t be holding my breath.

Erisian
Erisian
2 years ago

The Telegraph’s opinions are not worth repeating. Especially in Wales.
Fine with the CO2 and NOX that their readers’ gas guzzlers emit – yet worried about pollen?
Pull the other one – they just hate Wales and the Welsh because we won’t vote for their pernicious masters and have the cheek to want to be a Country.

Nobby Tart
Nobby Tart
2 years ago

I’d rather take my chances with pollen, than radiation.

George Bodley
George Bodley
2 years ago

Who gives a toss what the Torygraph says little Englander supporters

Valerie Matthews
Valerie Matthews
2 years ago

Trees purify the air! How ignorant can one get!

Crwtyddol
Crwtyddol
2 years ago

Is it April 1st?

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