ENVIRONMENTALISTS welcomed the extension of the national forest for Wales today, which now covers the equivalent of over 90,000 rugby pitches.

The national forest has been expanded to include two new sites at Aberduna Hall in north-east Wales and Castle Wood in Carmarthenshire, which adds 24 hectares to the forest.

Lucy Powell, from Outside Lives at Aberduna Hall, said: “Guided by nature, we believe in building communities that look after themselves and each other.

“This means creating welcoming spaces where people can meet, talk, share ideas, and build trust and we have seen this happen at our forest site helping rebuild the sense of community that’s been lost over time.”

Huw Irranca-Davies, deputy first minister with responsibility for climate change, said: “The National Forest is about more than just trees — it’s about making sure more people can spend more time in nature and tackling the climate emergency.”

Sites joining the National Forest receive Welsh Larch signs produced by Merthyr Tydfil Institute for the Blind.