Timber

Peter Thomas Keaveney travelled to Laois to catch up with forestry contractor Damien Brophy.

FII has launched its manifesto - ‘Forestry for our Future: Delivering on the potential of Irish forestry’ - for the upcoming general election.

Small to medium prices strong while large sawlog prices (€55 – €60/m3) are expected to increase due to the suspension of Scottish log imports, writes Donal Magner.

There is something for everyone over the two days, including woodland talks, information stands, machinery, equipment, demonstrations, artisan craft and food stands, family activities and music.

The extent of log imports may have been exaggerated in recent years as the debate on the risk of spruce bark beetle infestation heightened.

The larch bark beetle is a large black bark-boring insect which is found in much of Europe and Britain.

With creosote banned since April 2023, alternatives have pushed fencing prices up while reference costs have remained stagnant.

With margins squeezed this year, investing in your farm is becoming more and more difficult.