Minister launches ‘Talking Timber’ Event

Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine Tom Hayes, TD, with responsibility for forestry, today opened ‘Talking Timber’, a timber marketing event organised by Teagasc with the co-operation of the Irish timber industry, which was held in the Devon Inn Hotel, Templeglantine, Co. Limerick.

The purpose of the event was to provide an opportunity for forest owners, whose plantations are at or approaching thinning age, to find out more about the timber selling process and to make contact with timber buyers in their area. A second event will be held in the Lough Allen Hotel, Drumshanbo, Co. Leitrim on Thursday, 12th September 2013.

Opening proceedings, the Minister of State commented that the event was timely given the age profile of privately owned forestry and that “It is important for forest owners to realise that thinning, where appropriate, improves the end value and quality of a timber crop and managing the thinning process effectively can provide an additional income source and ultimately help to maximise timber production and therefore income for the forest owner at final felling stage.” He continued that “Timber mobilisation is a key challenge faced by the forestry sector in Ireland. It is essential that we encourage and facilitate getting the timber from privately owned forests onto the market.”

He thanked the Teagasc Forestry Development Department and the various groups which assisted them in the organisation of the event, including representatives from local forest producer groups, the Irish Forest and Forestry Products Association, the Irish Timber Growers Association, forestry companies, forestry consultants and forestry contractors, for making the event possible.

Minister of State Hayes noted that last year’s events attracted over 500 forest owners and hoped that this year’s attendees would find the events just as interesting and informative, adding, “There is no doubt that these events provide a fantastic opportunity for forest owners to learn about the process of thinning and selling their timber, and to make valuable contacts among other owners and among the purchasers, professional foresters and others in the timber industry.”