The Association of Farm and Forestry Contractors (FCI) has called on Minister for State Michael Healy-Rae to ban the importation of forestry harvesting and forwarding machines working in European forests.
The association is instead urging the minister to deal with the post-storm Éowyn windblow with similar machines in the ownership of Irish forestry contractors that are currently idle.
In addition, it has warned that the importation of machines that have recently worked in European forests could pose the risk of spreading bark beetle.
FCI managing director Ann Gleeson Hanrahan said that this risk is equivalent to the impact of any risk of foot-and-mouth disease in the national cattle herd.
“These include opportunities for the bark beetle to cross over to Ireland using forest machines fresh from work in European-infected forests, as a transport vector,” she said.
“Have we not learnt anything from the devastating impact of ash dieback that we are now preparing to expose the remaining Irish forest stocks to a new and devastating threat when there is ample timber harvesting machinery in the ownership of experienced Irish forestry contractors, that are currently idle?”
Windblow
The FCI also criticised the low price of timber in Ireland during this “windblow crisis”.
“The solution to getting the windblown timber into the market is not necessarily related to the harvesting capacity within Ireland, but other vested interests are using this crisis as an excuse to keep harvested timber prices low when growers’ backs are to the wall as they try to rescue some value from their years of investment in forestry as a land management choice,” added Gleeson Hanrahan.
The FCI warned that the importation of machines that have recently worked in European forests could pose the risk of spreading bark beetle. \ Maja Jurc, University of Ljubljana
“If there is a requirement to get support from forestry contractors from across Europe, [the] FCI believes that it is vital that a machine import licensing and inspection process is put in place for used machines to ensure that the highest levels of phytosanitary hygiene and protocols are put in place to protect the remainder of our forest resources.”
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The Association of Farm and Forestry Contractors (FCI) has called on Minister for State Michael Healy-Rae to ban the importation of forestry harvesting and forwarding machines working in European forests.
The association is instead urging the minister to deal with the post-storm Éowyn windblow with similar machines in the ownership of Irish forestry contractors that are currently idle.
In addition, it has warned that the importation of machines that have recently worked in European forests could pose the risk of spreading bark beetle.
FCI managing director Ann Gleeson Hanrahan said that this risk is equivalent to the impact of any risk of foot-and-mouth disease in the national cattle herd.
“These include opportunities for the bark beetle to cross over to Ireland using forest machines fresh from work in European-infected forests, as a transport vector,” she said.
“Have we not learnt anything from the devastating impact of ash dieback that we are now preparing to expose the remaining Irish forest stocks to a new and devastating threat when there is ample timber harvesting machinery in the ownership of experienced Irish forestry contractors, that are currently idle?”
Windblow
The FCI also criticised the low price of timber in Ireland during this “windblow crisis”.
“The solution to getting the windblown timber into the market is not necessarily related to the harvesting capacity within Ireland, but other vested interests are using this crisis as an excuse to keep harvested timber prices low when growers’ backs are to the wall as they try to rescue some value from their years of investment in forestry as a land management choice,” added Gleeson Hanrahan.
The FCI warned that the importation of machines that have recently worked in European forests could pose the risk of spreading bark beetle. \ Maja Jurc, University of Ljubljana
“If there is a requirement to get support from forestry contractors from across Europe, [the] FCI believes that it is vital that a machine import licensing and inspection process is put in place for used machines to ensure that the highest levels of phytosanitary hygiene and protocols are put in place to protect the remainder of our forest resources.”
Read more
Two-thirds of farmers likely to change how they farm to help climate - report
Teagasc forestry events focus on supports and markets
Strict import controls needed for used forestry machinery – IFA
Coniferous roundwood imports from Scotland are effectively over
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