Recent studies suggest a significant increase of 68% in roundwood by 2035.

The annual supply of Irish roundwood timber is predicted to increase 68% by 2035, according to a new report by the COFORD Council.

The report - 'Wood Supply and Demand on the Island of Ireland to 2030' - was compiled by the wood mobilisation and forecasting group to provide the supply and demand for wood fibre on the island of Ireland over the medium term to 2030.

Launching the report, Minister of State with responsibility for forestry Pippa Hackett said: "This comprehensive report brings together the best available information from the 2021 all-Ireland roundwood production forecast and demand assumptions based on inputs from the wood processing sector.

"These trees to be harvested by 2035 have been planted under successive State-funded forestry programmes. The new 1.3bn euros  forestry programme increases annual payments up to 66% and extends them to 20 years for farmers."

Timber use

Commenting on the use of timber, Minister Hackett added: "The strong demand for our homegrown timber resource offers encouragement to forest owners around the country who will be bringing sawlog to market over the coming decade.

"An added benefit of this timber production is that when sawlog is converted to boards for structural timber or other wood-based materials, these can store carbon and displace extractive, carbon-intensive materials, thereby helping to reduce greenhouse gas emissions."

Source: coford.ie