While Ireland has a variety of tree and shrub species, most are introduced. Ireland has no more than 30 indigenous native trees and shrubs, less than one-third of some European countries, such as Germany. Since the demise of ash and elm, Irish foresters are left with two major wood-producing trees – oak and Scots pine – with alder, birch and cherry showing potential provided they are sourced from improved stock.

Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris), known in the trade as “red deal” is Ireland’s only native conifer that combines quality commercial wood production with non-wood objectives. Today, the evidence of its prominence in primeval forests is seen in “bog deal” uncovered after peat excavation and polished into artefacts by innovative woodworkers.

Its reputation has suffered at the hands of foresters, ecologists, environmentalists and natural historians. Favoured by foresters up until the early 1950s, it had a spectacular fall from grace from 38% of planting programmes to 1% over the past 65 years.

Ecologists have refused to accept it as a native species, ensuring that it was omitted completely from the National Survey of Native Woodlands 2003-2008. That Scots pine is an industrial conifer has not helped its cause in the simplistic and spurious broadleaf versus conifer narrative that continues to bedevil Irish forestry.

However, common sense is prevailing as it is promoted as an indigenous forest tree again, helped by its inclusion in Ireland’s Native Woodland Scheme.

Those who claim that Scots pine died out by early Christian times have never fully explained their reasoning. It has long been debated by botanists, foresters, ecologists and naturalists. The botanist and forester Augustine Henry believed it died out, while AC Forbes – the forester who established the Avondale arboretum – maintained “it may have survived as a native tree long enough to have been propagated in nurseries”.

In the publication Tree Planting in Ireland During Four Centuries, HM Fitzpatrick argued that there were indigenous pines in Irish forests as late as the 16th century.

Research carried out by Dr Jenni Roche, for her PhD thesis at Trinity College Dublin has finally settled the debate. In a paper submitted to Irish Forestry, the journal of the Society of Irish Foresters, she states: “The widely accepted hypothesis that P. sylvestris became extinct in Ireland has been rejected.”

Dr Roche conducted vegetation surveys at 24 pinewoods – 18 in Ireland and six in Scotland. “The pollen diagram from Rockforest Lough [Co Clare] showed a continuously high Pinus pollen frequency (38% to 51% of total terrestrial pollen) from about AD350 to the present,” she reports.

“Macrofossil evidence demonstrated local presence of P. sylvestris around Rockforest Lough circa AD840. The available historical sources indicated a long history of woodland cover at Rockforest. A separate analysis of a peat core from nearby Aughrim Swamp also showed a continuous Pinus signal from AD350 to the present.”

Proponents of Scots pine will find solace in Roche’s conclusion, including her claims for reintroduced Scots pine: “The Irish survey sites, excepting Rockforest, are thought to contain P. sylvestris of reintroduced origin. The vegetation of certain plots and groups resembled that of extant native pinewoods elsewhere or fossil assemblages from Ireland’s ancient pinewoods. This suggests that reintroduced P. sylvestris woodlands are an important resource for Irish biodiversity, particularly given the country’s low native woodland cover.”

Her study should remove ambiguity about Scots pine’s ethnicity. However, she urges caution about maintaining the species continuum and calls for further research and protection at the Rockforest site. “The [native Scots pine] population is of high conservation value but its rarity increases its extinction risk,” she states, pointing out that reintroduced Scots pine “ in the vicinity may threaten its genetic integrity”.

On a positive note, she says that “off -site conservation has commenced” and pine “propagated from Rockforest seed has been planted at two other sites by the NPWS”.

In addition, “Rockforest has been listed as a genetic conservation unit and a ‘source identified’ seed stand for P. sylvestris by the Forest Service” and “commercial seed collection is under way”.

Scots pine is likely to be reassessed as better-quality land is being made available for afforestation but because of its versatility, it also deserves re-evaluation even in sub-marginal unenclosed uplands such as its renaissance in Scotland in recreating the once extensive Caledonian pine forests alongside birch.

Its attractive wood, suitable for joinery, furniture and construction, along with its distinctive red-brown bark and biodiversity enhancing qualities are proof of its aesthetic, ecological and economic merit. It is an ideal individual specimen tree for the Irish landscape or as part of the collective, alongside other natives in forests from the Vale of Clara, Co Wicklow to Glengarrif, Co Cork.

Its defiance on the roadside of a north Antrim bog led Seamus Heaney to write: “Tall old fir trees line it on both sides. / Scotch firs, that is. Calligraphic shocks / Brushed and tufted in prevailing winds.”

Michael Viney’s “impossible dream” that Scots pine “ will one day cloak great tracts of overgrazed uplands and cut-over midlands in an open and airy forest, home to red squirrels and pine martens” might yet be realised.

With open minds of foresters and ecologists, Jenni Roche’s research represents an opportunity to reimagine and recreate future native pine forests.

Forestry events rescheduled

A number of forestry events have been postponed in line with the Government’s “Roadmap for Reopening Society and Business”.

The National Forestry Conference scheduled for 28 May has been postponed until Thursday 8 October, to take place in Johnstown House Hotel, Enfield, Co Meath. Check the websites of the Wood Marketing Federation (www.wood.ie) and Society of Irish Foresters (www.societyofirishforesters.ie) for more details.

The Irish Timber Growers Association (ITGA) has postponed its 26 June field day on forest certification and its AGM. “This event will be rescheduled according to how the roadmap progresses,” said Donal Whelan, ITGA technical director.

“The two Clonad, Co Offaly, field days planned for 11 September featuring woodland bee-keeping and continuous cover forestry, along with the 25 September event on wild food foraging and a woodland cooking demonstration, remain on schedule at present.”