To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs whether he will review and update tree protection legislation to include woodland and undergrowth habitats, and ecosystem protection as a whole.

The Department for Infrastructure is the statutory body responsible for tree protection legislation provided under the Planning Act (Northern Ireland) 2011 and The Planning (Trees) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2015 which includes Tree Preservation Orders. It is the local councils that make and enforce Tree Preservation Orders under the Planning Act (Northern Ireland) 2011, to protect selected trees, the woodlands and associated ecosystems.

My Department protects woodland designated as Areas of Special Scientific Interest (ASSI) under the Environment (Northern Ireland) Order 2002 which requires that operations within the ASSI citation need consent from the Northern Ireland Environment Agency. The Department’s Forest Service regulates tree felling in forests under the Forestry Act (Northern Ireland) 2010 to ensure sustainable forest management, including the regeneration of the woodland. Forest Service also regulates woodland removal under the Environmental Impact Assessment (Forestry) Regulations (Northern Ireland) within the exemptions and thresholds that apply.

I have no plans to review the legislation protecting ASSI woodland, regulating felling and woodland removal for which my Department has responsibility.