We now know that timber production is estimated to increase to eight million cubic metres within the next 20 years in Ireland. The challenge is to manage this resource to ensure it eventually gets to the marketplace.

Noel Kennedy’s report on the recent timber transport conference outlines some of the challenges and the need for a partnership approach in mobilising timber from forests to sawmills, panel board plants and wood energy outlets who so far have demonstrated that they can process all the available logs for domestic and export markets.

The transport conference, like the wood mobilisation seminar held earlier this year, illustrated the role of the following relevant stakeholders in maximising timber mobilisation:

  • Forest owners, who need to create access for potential purchasers to inspect, assess and eventually harvest thinnings and clearfells.
  • The Forest Service, Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, which should be the final arbiter on forest road planning and approval, as well as playing a key role in timber mobilisation by issuing felling licences that respond on time to forest owner and market needs.
  • Training and education bodies who coordinate the training of harvester, forwarder and haulage operators to achieve international skill levels.
  • Foresters and forestry companies, who provide the management expertise, including advice and marketing support to forest owners.
  • Contractors who provide the harvesting and haulage capability to maximise wood mobilisation while ensuring good forest practice and security standards.
  • Local authorities who ensure that public roads are of sufficient high quality and who are cognisant of the needs of forest owners when planning forest roads, especially their interaction with public roads. Likewise, foresters, forest owners and hauliers need to understand concerns of local authorities in relation to load-bearing capacity, especially local roads and the need for a coordinated approach on agreed routes when necessary.
  • Timber processors and other customers who provide log prices that make it attractive for owners to harvest and sell their timber.
  • Other relevant stakeholders, including fisheries boards, the heritage section of the Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government and neighbouring landowners where forest roads may affect landscape values and water supply.
  • The transport conference organised by the Forest Industry Transport Group (FITG), in association with Teagasc and the Forest Service, was a major step by bringing a range of relevant stakeholders together to create a dialogue that has been missing in the past.

    • Speaking at the conference, John Lyons, FITG chair, outlined the group’s mission in promoting a collaborative approach and providing a mechanism for sharing ideas and best practice on timber transport issues.

    FITG has recognised the partnership approach in bringing together the relevant stakeholders to ensure the timber industry can access and market the timber resource in a sustainable way with minimal impacts on the public road network, local communities and the environment. The group also addresses specifics in problem-solving, including making submissions on gross vehicle weights, agreed routes for timber haulage, central tyre inflation (CTI) systems and timber load security. In addition to Government departments and the Forest Service, FITG has a broad membership base including Coillte, the IFA, the Irish Forestry and Forest Products Association, (IFFPA), Teagasc, timber processors and third level colleges.

    If the forestry sector is capable of generating €2.3bn annually at present, then the benefits to the – largely rural – economy are obvious if this volume of timber can be doubled to eight million cubic metres over the next two decades.

    A range of stakeholders discussed wood mobilisation challenges at the recent national timber transport conference.

    The need for a partnership approach in timber mobilisation was the conference main message, especially in the management of timber transport and promoting the sustainable development of Ireland’s forest industry.

    Andrew Doyle, Minister of State with responsibility for forestry, outlined the key strategic issues from forest harvesting to timber processing.

    He cited the Innovative Forest Technology Scheme to grant aid central tyre inflation (CTI), which maximises lorry life and minimises road damage.

    Organised by the Forest Industry Transport Group (FITG) with support from Teagasc and the Forest Service, the conference attracted a range of stakeholders, including local authorities, timber hauliers and forest managers.

    Over 100,000 loads of timber per year are being transported on the rural road network and this figure is set to increase in line with expanding private timber production. In this context, the conference heard speakers describe current challenges to managing timber transport but, more importantly, outline potential solutions.

    Speakers from the IFFPA, Teagasc and timber hauliers outlined the shared concerns of forest owners and industry, especially in relation to planning permission for forest entrances, cost of forest roads, haulage route restrictions and road bonds.

    The challenges to the management and maintenance of the regional and rural roads network were described by John McCarthy, Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport (DTTAS). In the case of timber transport, he encouraged a constructive partnership approach as a critical element in road maintenance planning.

    Shay O’Connor presented the perspective of Leitrim County Council in relation to timber haulage with emphasis on road maintenance. Like Hugh Cawley of Veon Ltd, he was greatly encouraged by the council’s recent successful collaboration with the private forestry sector in a pilot agreed haulage routes project and was particularly impressed by the effectiveness of the central tyre inflation (CTI) system used by timber hauliers. Robert Leonard, DAFM explained the benefits of CTI which receives 40% grant aid per unit fitted.

    Seamus Dunne, senior inspector with the Forest Service, highlighted his sections role in timber mobilisation including the forest road scheme, the new felling licence system and the recently launched harvest forecast tool.

    He also highlighted collaboration with DTTAS and the Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government (DHPCLG) in agreeing the proposed single consent system for forest entrances during road planning and construction.