As the supply of timber from Irish forests has decreased dramatically due to widespread felling licence appeals, Irish sawmills are exploring the German market for logs.

One sawmill spokesperson said “blanket objection to felling licences has been so damaging that timber from private forests is virtually non-existent and Coillte can no longer guarantee supply”.

One mill in the south has already imported logs which a forestry company spokesperson said “endangers Irish forests by introducing the eight-toothed European spruce bark beetle, Ips typographus”.

Environment

Wind damage, coupled with prolonged drought on the continent in 2018, proved the ideal environment for massive beetle infestation with over 40 million m3 of timber damaged.

Germany suffered huge losses resulting in increased exports of sawn timber from salvaged trees.

This posed few health problems for Irish forests as imports comprised sawn and kiln dried timber which kills the beetle.

Now logs are being imported and while these are debarked and monitored by Department inspectors, the risk of introducing the beetle has dramatically increased.

“We now risk introducing the beetle to Ireland as it is almost impossible to guarantee totally debarked logs which can host the beetle,” said a forestry company spokesperson.

“Beetle introduction could devastate our forest resource, ironically at a time when we have plenty of timber available but not accessible due to felling licence appeals.”

The beetle attacks Norway and Sitka spruce, pine including the native Scots pine, and other species such as fir and larch.