Call on forest owners for ‘good quality’ timber

Forest owners have been reminded their timber crop is significant from a broader economic viewpoint.

Minister of state Tom Hayes said sawmills need a consistent supply of good quality timber to produce their products.

He said the mobilisation of roundwood is vital for the further development of the forest industry.

“To this end, the Forestry Programme has provided for almost €28m of funding towards the building of roads over the six-year programme period,” he said

“This will enable forest holders to carry out first thinnings and generate an early source of income from their forest.

“Thinnings provide forest-based biomass to substitute fossil fuels and are a raw material for a range of forest products.”

Mr Hayes was speaking at a ‘Talking Timber’ event in Tullow, Co Carlow, which provided forest owners with an opportunity to access information about selling their timber and to find out more about the sales process, harvesting options and the way in which timber value can be maximised.

The event was organised by Teagasc, with the Department of Agriculture and the Irish Forest and Forest Products Association and the forest industry.