People do not always connect the growing of forestry and supplying of timber products. As a result, the need to supply much-needed timber globally can get lost. All of the conifer forests we see around the country were planted to produce the timber we need to build our houses and produce other essential products such as pallets, packaging, and fencing.
Over 22,000 forest owners – mainly farmers – across Ireland have planted forests and many will see their investment come to fruition in the coming years. Indeed, the number of farmers reaching their ‘windfall’ at clear fell is increasing every year, as the strong planting years of the 1990s see those crops mature. People will sit up and pay attention as the local sawmill strikes a deal with the farmer and a large, tax-free income is realised.
Our Sitka spruce forests are crops with high demand. The US is hitting all-time historical highs right now for timber prices.
European suppliers cannot keep up with demand as the global supply chain reacts to buoyant markets. Irish sawmills are hungry for timber and the market has not been negatively affected by the pandemic.
There has been booming demand for timber packaging and DIY products in particular.
Forestry and timber model
The forestry and timber model works extremely well in delivering rewards from farmer to sawmill. There is, however, a large cloud hanging over the sector at present.
New environmental regulations mean that there are lengthy delays for licences to plant or fell forestry. This is undermining the industry and undoing decades of good work.
Nonetheless, there are a multitude of global macro trends that point to a rapid resurgence of the forest sector
The industry is working hard with the Government to rectify the situation and get things back on track, but it is proving to be a long and arduous road.
Nonetheless, there are a multitude of global macro trends that point to a rapid resurgence of the forest sector, once the current impasse is resolved. Forests are hugely powerful weapons in our fight against climate change, while the EU is driving for more tree planting as the agricultural model changes.
Mark McAuley is director of Forest Industries Ireland (FII).
Making the case for a Woodland Carbon Code
Despite forestry’s contribution to biodiversity, flood control, air quality, wellbeing and particularly climate change mitigation, our woodland owners do not receive remuneration for supplying these public goods to society.
Woodland creation and sustainable forest management have the potential to be a future source of income for growers, through their carbon storage capability. This is now a reality in the UK, through their Woodland Carbon Code, which gives climate change recognition for businesses that provide carbon savings when they promote forestry projects.
The Irish Timber Growers Association (ITGA) maintains there is now real potential for establishing a Carbon Code here. This would provide a quality assurance standard for woodland planting projects and generate independently verified carbon units, which could be sold to companies and other enterprises who wish to show that they are mitigating their carbon emissions.
Tree planting can accommodate these aims and in doing so, can also complement other farming activities
The new European Green Deal aims to protect, conserve and enhance the EU’s natural capital, and safeguard the health and wellbeing of citizens from environment-related risks and impacts. Woodland owners now have a new opportunity to make the case for receiving additional remuneration for supplying such public goods. Tree planting can accommodate these aims and in doing so, can also complement other farming activities. ITGA is promoting a Forest Carbon Code as one development that would assist woodland owners in receiving recompense for the carbon they store. The code would work for everyone involved, including:
Forest owners and managers, who would have clear standards of forest management under such a code, in order to provide reliable estimates of the amount of carbon that will be sequestered or stored in their forests.Potential carbon buyers would have reassurance that they have invested in a responsible scheme and a code would assist in marketing the sale of forest carbon units.Projects would carry a specific Carbon Code label of approval and could then use their verified status as an attractive selling point to potential customers.Several new trends are emerging in agroforestry or silvapasture allowing for more environmentally-friendly farming, which could similarly benefit under such a carbon scheme. Tree planting, in whatever form it takes – whether as a complimentary activity to current farming practices such as agroforestry, conventional forestry or Continuous Cover Forestry – have the potential to contribute to the economic sustainability of agriculture and also achieve the future aims of the new CAP and European Green Deal.
A Carbon Code for Irish woodlands would be a vehicle to facilitate a further income stream for our timber growers.
Donal Whelan is technical director, ITGA.
People do not always connect the growing of forestry and supplying of timber products. As a result, the need to supply much-needed timber globally can get lost. All of the conifer forests we see around the country were planted to produce the timber we need to build our houses and produce other essential products such as pallets, packaging, and fencing.
Over 22,000 forest owners – mainly farmers – across Ireland have planted forests and many will see their investment come to fruition in the coming years. Indeed, the number of farmers reaching their ‘windfall’ at clear fell is increasing every year, as the strong planting years of the 1990s see those crops mature. People will sit up and pay attention as the local sawmill strikes a deal with the farmer and a large, tax-free income is realised.
Our Sitka spruce forests are crops with high demand. The US is hitting all-time historical highs right now for timber prices.
European suppliers cannot keep up with demand as the global supply chain reacts to buoyant markets. Irish sawmills are hungry for timber and the market has not been negatively affected by the pandemic.
There has been booming demand for timber packaging and DIY products in particular.
Forestry and timber model
The forestry and timber model works extremely well in delivering rewards from farmer to sawmill. There is, however, a large cloud hanging over the sector at present.
New environmental regulations mean that there are lengthy delays for licences to plant or fell forestry. This is undermining the industry and undoing decades of good work.
Nonetheless, there are a multitude of global macro trends that point to a rapid resurgence of the forest sector
The industry is working hard with the Government to rectify the situation and get things back on track, but it is proving to be a long and arduous road.
Nonetheless, there are a multitude of global macro trends that point to a rapid resurgence of the forest sector, once the current impasse is resolved. Forests are hugely powerful weapons in our fight against climate change, while the EU is driving for more tree planting as the agricultural model changes.
Mark McAuley is director of Forest Industries Ireland (FII).
Making the case for a Woodland Carbon Code
Despite forestry’s contribution to biodiversity, flood control, air quality, wellbeing and particularly climate change mitigation, our woodland owners do not receive remuneration for supplying these public goods to society.
Woodland creation and sustainable forest management have the potential to be a future source of income for growers, through their carbon storage capability. This is now a reality in the UK, through their Woodland Carbon Code, which gives climate change recognition for businesses that provide carbon savings when they promote forestry projects.
The Irish Timber Growers Association (ITGA) maintains there is now real potential for establishing a Carbon Code here. This would provide a quality assurance standard for woodland planting projects and generate independently verified carbon units, which could be sold to companies and other enterprises who wish to show that they are mitigating their carbon emissions.
Tree planting can accommodate these aims and in doing so, can also complement other farming activities
The new European Green Deal aims to protect, conserve and enhance the EU’s natural capital, and safeguard the health and wellbeing of citizens from environment-related risks and impacts. Woodland owners now have a new opportunity to make the case for receiving additional remuneration for supplying such public goods. Tree planting can accommodate these aims and in doing so, can also complement other farming activities. ITGA is promoting a Forest Carbon Code as one development that would assist woodland owners in receiving recompense for the carbon they store. The code would work for everyone involved, including:
Forest owners and managers, who would have clear standards of forest management under such a code, in order to provide reliable estimates of the amount of carbon that will be sequestered or stored in their forests.Potential carbon buyers would have reassurance that they have invested in a responsible scheme and a code would assist in marketing the sale of forest carbon units.Projects would carry a specific Carbon Code label of approval and could then use their verified status as an attractive selling point to potential customers.Several new trends are emerging in agroforestry or silvapasture allowing for more environmentally-friendly farming, which could similarly benefit under such a carbon scheme. Tree planting, in whatever form it takes – whether as a complimentary activity to current farming practices such as agroforestry, conventional forestry or Continuous Cover Forestry – have the potential to contribute to the economic sustainability of agriculture and also achieve the future aims of the new CAP and European Green Deal.
A Carbon Code for Irish woodlands would be a vehicle to facilitate a further income stream for our timber growers.
Donal Whelan is technical director, ITGA.
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