Letterkenny Post
NEWS
Thursday 15 September 2016
21
Talking Timber: where forest owners meet timber buyers Teagasc’s Forestry Development Department ran a timber marketing day in Letterkenny, last week. At the event, forest owners found out how the timber sales process works and how to maximise timber value. The timber marketing event are organised by Teagasc with the co-operation of the Irish timber industry and the Forest Service in the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine.
Nuala Ni Fhlatharta, Head of Teagasc’s Forestry Development Department explained the timber potential in Ireland: “The annual timber production from the private forestry sector is forecast to increase sevenfold, to almost three million cubic metres by 2028. This means that there are both challenges and opportunities for forest owners to get this rapidly expanding timber resource to market.” Steven Meyen, Forestry Advi-
sor with Teagasc, who organised the event in Letterkenny, highlighted the need for private forest owners to focus on the production of quality timber: “Supply of quality timber will be essential for the Irish timber processing industry to expand existing markets and secure additional export market share. Producing quality logs is achieved through a range of measures from forest establishment through to final harvesting.”
Clive Stoddart, Supply Manager Blacks, Trevor McHugh, Martin Regan, Forest service, Dept. Agriculture, Steven Meyen, Teagasc Forstry Advisor, Ben Wilkinson, Teagasc Area Manager, Dr. Nuala Ní Fhlatharta, Teagasc, Pat Collins and William Callaghan, Inishowen Forestry Group
Steven Meyen, Forstry Advisor Teagasc
Dr. Nuala Ní Fhlatharta Teagasc speaking at the first Talking Timber event in Letterkenny Michael Slevin and Lexi Kilpatrick
John Jackson, Steven Meyen, Teagasc, Charlie Doherty and Ralph Shepard, Donegal Woodland Owner Group
Some of the woodland owners at the first Talking Timber event in Letterkenny
Photos: Clive Wasson
Condy Doherty and Paddy Grant
Some of the crowd at the first Talking Timber event
Michael Hentschel with his products at the first Talking Timber event in Letterkenny Photos: Clive Wasson