FCI Forestry Contractors seek forest machine import cessation

The Association of Farm & Forestry Contractors (FCI) is calling on the Minister for State for

Agriculture with responsibility for Forestry, Michael Healy-Rae, TD, not to facilitate the import of forestry harvesting and forwarding machines that are currently working in European forests, to deal with the current post Storm Éowyn windblown crisis while similar machines in the ownership of Irish forestry contractors remains idle.

“We are aware that Irish owned forest harvesting and forwarding machinery is being left idle

despite the urgency to harvest the thousands of hectares of windblown timber,” said FCI

managing director Ann Gleeson Hanrahan.

The Association is also alerting the Minister and the thousands of smaller and medium scale

forest owners of the potential threats associated with the importation of machines that have

recently worked in European forests which continue to be devastated by the presence of the

Bark Beetle.

“We have been made aware of the devastating impact of the Bark Beetle across European

forests, and we have been warned by our Forestry contractor colleagues within CEETTAR of

the huge potential risk to the existing Irish forest industry in providing any opportunities for

the Bark Beetle to move to Ireland.

“These include opportunities for the Bark Beetle to cross over to Ireland using forest machines fresh from work in European infected forests, as a transport vector.

Have we not learnt anything from the devastating impact of Ash Dieback that we are now preparing to expose the remaining Irish forest stocks to a new and devastating threat when there is ample timber harvesting machinery in the ownership of experienced Irish Forestry Contractors, that are currently idle”, asked Ann Gleeson Hanrahan.

FCI is calling for an outright ban on the introduction of foreign owned forestry machines at

this time, while Irish owned machines have been idled.

“The solution to getting the wind-blown timber into the market is not necessarily related to the harvesting capacity within Ireland, but other vested interests are using this crisis as an excuse to keep harvested timber prices low when growers backs are to the wall as they to try to rescue some value from their years of investment in forestry as a land management choice,” she added.

“If there is a requirement to get support from Forestry Contractors from across Europe, FCI

believes that it is vital that a machine import licensing and inspection process is put in place

for used machines to ensure that the highest levels of phytosanitary hygiene and protocols

The Association of Farm & Forestry Contractors in Ireland (FCI) © is Irish member of

CEETTAR, the European European Organisation of Agricultural, Rural and Forestry Contractors.

FCI is a registered company limited by guarantee. Company Registration Number: C511007

are put in place to protect the remainder of our forest resources,” she added.

“This Bark Beetle threat to the Irish forest sector, from the importation of machines that are currently working in European infected forests, must be seen as being equivalent to the impact of any risk of foot and mouth disease in the national cattle herd,” she added.