The Irish forestry and forest products sector has moved from a domestic to an export-oriented market in a relatively short period of time.
The emerging wood based panel (WBP) mills were exporting most of their products by the end of the last century, but sawmill exports were minimal and wood energy markets didn’t exist at the time.
The economic crash in 2008 changed all this. It forced Irish sawmills to increase exports from 20% to 65% within a few years while WBP markets that rely mainly on the UK looked to Europe and further afield.
Now timber processors and forest owners face another major challenge, which is to harvest and market an estimated 12 million cubic metres of windblown timber on the island.
As a result of the storm, Irish logs are being exported to countries such as Poland, Belgium, Germany, France and even China in addition to the tried-and-trusted UK market.
Time will tell if these are sustainable outlets. While global pulpwood markets are uncertain, sawn timber markets are strong, so the sector is capitalising on sawlog exports.
Home market
Once again, timber processors have shown that they can quickly adapt but the Irish forestry and forest products sector needs to think long-term about future markets.
And these markets may be in plain sight, if Ireland is to build the required 44,000 housing units annually “to keep pace with structural demand”, according to the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI).
If we are to complete a housing programme of this magnitude then “we need quicker, more flexible solutions that create jobs at home, which means timber frame housing, built from wood grown, milled and manufactured in Ireland,” said Minister of State Michael Healy-Rae at the recent launch of the Timber in Construction Steering Group (TCSG) report.
The TCSG report outlines the potential for Irish timber in its recommendation for a “Wood First” policy in Ireland for house construction and public procurement.
However, this will require trebling timber frame housing to achieve Scotland’s performance (see panel below).
Using home-grown timber throughout timber frame construction is essential, especially in high-added-value supports and roof trusses where Irish sawn timber has made minimal impact so far.
This presents a major challenge to Irish sawmillers, who will need to adapt their specifications to cater for a viable home-grown timber frame construction industry.
And if Ireland adopts the renewable energy model like Denmark, then a ready market will be available for timber residue (wood chips, sawdust and offcuts) and small logs in heating homes.
The renewable energy market in Denmark has a high dependence on biomass, which is greater than wind and solar combined.
Timber in construction
The Timber in Construction Steering Group (TCSG) has issued its first-year report, which makes a number of recommendations including: a ‘Wood First’ procurement policy.
Established by Government in November 2023 and chaired by Professor J Owen Lewis, a Wood First policy for Ireland will require:
Timber and bio-based materials in publicly funded buildings. Carbon reduction standards that will favour timber over concrete and steel.Greater integration of timber modules in engineering and architecture education.A national technical specification for Mass Engineered Timber (MET). Support for innovation, research and a central knowledge hub on timber design and construction.Timber frame housing represents around 30% of all homes built in Ireland but encouragingly, 46% of all scheme houses are timber frame construction.
Home-grown beech is used throughout assembly by Cotter and Naessens Architecture at the Venice Biennale. The exhibition will tour Ireland in 2025.\ Samuele Cherubini.
There is no reason why Ireland cannot treble its timber market share like Scotland, which is now building 92% of all homes using timber frame.
Welcoming the report, Minister of State Michael Healy-Rae said: “Putting wood at the centre of our housing strategy means faster builds, lower emissions, and real support for our forestry sector”.
'Wood First' away
As Irish logs are being exported to Europe and even China, Irish sawn timber is also making its presence felt at exhibitions in Italy and Japan, albeit in a more rarefied artistic and architectural environment. Both exhibitions are collaborations between timber growers, harvesters, craftspeople, architects, musicians and other artists.
Osaka
Home-grown Douglas fir and Sitka spruce are used throughout the Ireland Pavilion at Expo 2025 in Osaka.
The Douglas cladding is used in the curved structure of the monumental pavilion, which is designed to reflect an abstracted Celtic spiral as featured in Newgrange passage tombs.
The timber was sourced in Coillte’s forests and sawn by Irish sawmillers.
Outside the pavilion, a monumental sculpture – Magnus Rinn – was created by Joseph Walsh and his team in Joseph Walsh Studios located outside Riverstick, Co Cork. This circular form transitions from bronze to oak and is finished in gold gilding.
Venice
Louise Cotter and David Naessens of Cotter & Naessens Architecture are Ireland’s standard bearers at this year’s Venice Biennale, the 19th International Architecture Exhibition. They have collaborated with woodworker Alan Meredith, sound artist David Stalling and architect and poet Michelle Delea to produce Assembly, “a multi-sensory pavilion” curated by David Naessens.
The structure uses beech, which was cut and shaped by Alan Meredith in his Mountmellick workshop.
The Osaka exhibition runs until 13 October while the Venice Biennale is open until 23 November. Assembly will tour Ireland in 2026.
Clearer picture emerging on managing windblow but timber mobilisation challenges remain
While windblow damage has been catastrophic for many growers, timber removal is still within the capability of the forestry and forest products sector with some help from the Government.
While it may be understandable for the minister not to interfere in timber markets, incentives on haulage distances and load weight increases need to be introduced to facilitate timber mobilisation.
Temporary legislation was introduced in Sweden after storm Gudrun in 2005 to encourage long-distance haulage and measures were also introduced to allow for increases in timber load weights.
While log exports continue apace, a positive picture is also emerging from Irish Timber Council (ITC) sawmills and Coillte.
Sawmills are moving towards 80% harvesting in windblown areas and have the capacity to increase production as outlined by Niall Grainger, ITC chair.
In addition Coillte expects to remove “40 million windblown trees by the end of next year”, according to Mark Carlin, MD Coillte Forest.
The Irish forestry and forest products sector has moved from a domestic to an export-oriented market in a relatively short period of time.
The emerging wood based panel (WBP) mills were exporting most of their products by the end of the last century, but sawmill exports were minimal and wood energy markets didn’t exist at the time.
The economic crash in 2008 changed all this. It forced Irish sawmills to increase exports from 20% to 65% within a few years while WBP markets that rely mainly on the UK looked to Europe and further afield.
Now timber processors and forest owners face another major challenge, which is to harvest and market an estimated 12 million cubic metres of windblown timber on the island.
As a result of the storm, Irish logs are being exported to countries such as Poland, Belgium, Germany, France and even China in addition to the tried-and-trusted UK market.
Time will tell if these are sustainable outlets. While global pulpwood markets are uncertain, sawn timber markets are strong, so the sector is capitalising on sawlog exports.
Home market
Once again, timber processors have shown that they can quickly adapt but the Irish forestry and forest products sector needs to think long-term about future markets.
And these markets may be in plain sight, if Ireland is to build the required 44,000 housing units annually “to keep pace with structural demand”, according to the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI).
If we are to complete a housing programme of this magnitude then “we need quicker, more flexible solutions that create jobs at home, which means timber frame housing, built from wood grown, milled and manufactured in Ireland,” said Minister of State Michael Healy-Rae at the recent launch of the Timber in Construction Steering Group (TCSG) report.
The TCSG report outlines the potential for Irish timber in its recommendation for a “Wood First” policy in Ireland for house construction and public procurement.
However, this will require trebling timber frame housing to achieve Scotland’s performance (see panel below).
Using home-grown timber throughout timber frame construction is essential, especially in high-added-value supports and roof trusses where Irish sawn timber has made minimal impact so far.
This presents a major challenge to Irish sawmillers, who will need to adapt their specifications to cater for a viable home-grown timber frame construction industry.
And if Ireland adopts the renewable energy model like Denmark, then a ready market will be available for timber residue (wood chips, sawdust and offcuts) and small logs in heating homes.
The renewable energy market in Denmark has a high dependence on biomass, which is greater than wind and solar combined.
Timber in construction
The Timber in Construction Steering Group (TCSG) has issued its first-year report, which makes a number of recommendations including: a ‘Wood First’ procurement policy.
Established by Government in November 2023 and chaired by Professor J Owen Lewis, a Wood First policy for Ireland will require:
Timber and bio-based materials in publicly funded buildings. Carbon reduction standards that will favour timber over concrete and steel.Greater integration of timber modules in engineering and architecture education.A national technical specification for Mass Engineered Timber (MET). Support for innovation, research and a central knowledge hub on timber design and construction.Timber frame housing represents around 30% of all homes built in Ireland but encouragingly, 46% of all scheme houses are timber frame construction.
Home-grown beech is used throughout assembly by Cotter and Naessens Architecture at the Venice Biennale. The exhibition will tour Ireland in 2025.\ Samuele Cherubini.
There is no reason why Ireland cannot treble its timber market share like Scotland, which is now building 92% of all homes using timber frame.
Welcoming the report, Minister of State Michael Healy-Rae said: “Putting wood at the centre of our housing strategy means faster builds, lower emissions, and real support for our forestry sector”.
'Wood First' away
As Irish logs are being exported to Europe and even China, Irish sawn timber is also making its presence felt at exhibitions in Italy and Japan, albeit in a more rarefied artistic and architectural environment. Both exhibitions are collaborations between timber growers, harvesters, craftspeople, architects, musicians and other artists.
Osaka
Home-grown Douglas fir and Sitka spruce are used throughout the Ireland Pavilion at Expo 2025 in Osaka.
The Douglas cladding is used in the curved structure of the monumental pavilion, which is designed to reflect an abstracted Celtic spiral as featured in Newgrange passage tombs.
The timber was sourced in Coillte’s forests and sawn by Irish sawmillers.
Outside the pavilion, a monumental sculpture – Magnus Rinn – was created by Joseph Walsh and his team in Joseph Walsh Studios located outside Riverstick, Co Cork. This circular form transitions from bronze to oak and is finished in gold gilding.
Venice
Louise Cotter and David Naessens of Cotter & Naessens Architecture are Ireland’s standard bearers at this year’s Venice Biennale, the 19th International Architecture Exhibition. They have collaborated with woodworker Alan Meredith, sound artist David Stalling and architect and poet Michelle Delea to produce Assembly, “a multi-sensory pavilion” curated by David Naessens.
The structure uses beech, which was cut and shaped by Alan Meredith in his Mountmellick workshop.
The Osaka exhibition runs until 13 October while the Venice Biennale is open until 23 November. Assembly will tour Ireland in 2026.
Clearer picture emerging on managing windblow but timber mobilisation challenges remain
While windblow damage has been catastrophic for many growers, timber removal is still within the capability of the forestry and forest products sector with some help from the Government.
While it may be understandable for the minister not to interfere in timber markets, incentives on haulage distances and load weight increases need to be introduced to facilitate timber mobilisation.
Temporary legislation was introduced in Sweden after storm Gudrun in 2005 to encourage long-distance haulage and measures were also introduced to allow for increases in timber load weights.
While log exports continue apace, a positive picture is also emerging from Irish Timber Council (ITC) sawmills and Coillte.
Sawmills are moving towards 80% harvesting in windblown areas and have the capacity to increase production as outlined by Niall Grainger, ITC chair.
In addition Coillte expects to remove “40 million windblown trees by the end of next year”, according to Mark Carlin, MD Coillte Forest.
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