Storm Éowyn levelled up to €500 million of timber in commercial forests, according industry calculations based on the latest Government damage estimates.
The Department of Agriculture reported this week that the storm blew down 23,625 hectares of forest in the Republic.
Forest Industries Ireland director Mark McAuley calculates that this amounts to between €400 million and €500 million worth of timber.
Private commercial forest owners suffered around half the damage, according to Mr McAuley, with the State accounting for the balance.
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State forestry company, Coillte, confirmed this saying that the storm hit “just over 11,600 hectares” of its plantations.
“Storm Éowyn has caused unprecedented levels of damage to the forest estate, including productive forests, biodiversity areas and recreation forest parks as well,” it said in a statement.
The company added that it was too early to determine the value of the damage as it was assessing the storm’s fallout in more detail.
As the fallen trees are largely mature, most of the timber could be sold, according to Mr McAuley.
However, he warned that this raised several challenges for the industry, including the risk of a glut on the market, as the quantity amounts to more than two years’ harvests.
He questioned whether the Irish sawmill industry would have the capacity to handle the amount of timber, which could amount to eight to 10 million cubic metres.
“It’s equivalent to an entire two years of timber harvest,” he said.
Mr McAuley also noted that the Department of Agriculture may have to license landowners to collect the fallen trees for sale.
“Speed is going to be of the essence here. We will have to get it licensed so it can be brought to sawmills,” he warned. “If it’s left lying on the ground it will have no value.”
Irish law requires landowners to be licensed to plant, fell and transport timber.
Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture Michael Healy-Rae noted that a Government taskforce established to deal with the forest damage had clarified that landowners’ existing felling and thinning licences would cover windblown trees.
The body has also set out what landowners who do not have licences should do to get applications for these permits prioritised.
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“The Forest Windblow Taskforce will meet for the third time next week, and will consider the findings of this report in the context of its ongoing assessment of the range of appropriate actions required by way of response to the scale of damage caused by Storm Éowyn,” said the Minister.
Coillte confirmed that it was working with the taskforce to determine the best way to tackle the problems, including licensing.
The company noted that the Republic’s sawmills could handle more timber and that the United Kingdom, the nearest export market, was the world’s second-biggest importer of the commodity. “All members of the taskforce understand that speed is of the essence,” said Coillte.
Meanwhile, the State body said the public should not enter damaged forests or those that are being cleared.
“Hazards arising from storm damage may not be visible,” said Coillte.
