Republic of Ireland
We aim to assess the resilience of key ecosystem services delivered by the Irish Forest Estate to catastrophic wind disturbance. Specifically of:
- Softwood timber production
- Carbon sequestration
- Biodiversity
Quick overview
Area: 808,848 ha |
Value chain: Small scale wood industry |
Biogeografical area: Atlantic |
Species composition  |
In short
Case Study - Republic of Ireland | ||||
Disturbances |  Pests |  Storms | ||
Ecosystem Services |  Wood & biomass production |  Carbon sequestration & storage |  Outdoor recreation |  Biodiversity conservation |
Case study Q&A
How does the value chain look like: supply, demand, timber market?
Large industry dominates, multiple types of wood processing, export oriented (UK dominated exports).
Forest cover by county and major timber processors. Source: Forest Industries Ireland (FII)
Volume of exports and paper products 1995-2020 (DAFM 2022)
What are the silvicultural measures applied – if any?
- No-thin regime in windthrow-prone areas
- Restriction of planting to lower elevations
- Early thinning in moderate/stable sites
- Reduce harvest age in windthrow-prone areas
What is the amount of the wood harvested?
Answer: In 2021 4.33 million m3 of roundwood was removed from Ireland’s forests for processing (excluding firewood) in the Republic of Ireland, a 31% increase compared to 2015 production (DAFM 2022). Since 2006 the private forest estate (see in red in the chart) is increasingly contributing to the total harvested volume, currently approximately 48% of the output.
Roundwood harvest, excluding firewood and hardwoods – 1955-2021 (DAFM 2022)
Roundwood harvest, excluding firewood and hardwoods – 1955-2021 (DAFM 2022)
Case study partners
