Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM), Michael Healy-Rae, has announced that a satellite imagery assessment is underway to evaluate the extent of damage inflicted on forestry by recent storms. He emphasized the importance of this assessment in providing an accurate overview of the damage, which appears to surpass that caused by Storm Darwin. According to Minister Healy-Rae, Storm Éowyn has ravaged at least 5,000 hectares of forestry across Ireland.
The Forest Windblow Taskforce convened for its second meeting at Backweston, Co. Kildare, following its inaugural session last week. Minister of State for Forestry, Michael Healy-Rae, stressed the significance of having a sawmill representative present and welcomed the Irish Timber Council to the taskforce. The group comprises members from Forest Industries Ireland (FII), Irish Timber Growers Association (ITGA), Teagasc, Coillte, the Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA), and SEEFA. Early reports from private forestry companies indicate that over 50% of damaged forests possess felling licenses. Minister Healy-Rae highlighted the importance of mobilizing harvesting capacity in these areas.
In terms of safety, Minister Healy-Rae, who oversees farm safety, reiterated the hazardous nature of windblown forestry sites. He emphasized the need for forest owners to prioritize safety and cautioned against attempting to clear fallen trees with chainsaws. Utilizing large harvesting machines is deemed the safest method for timber extraction in such conditions. The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) issued two circulars this week. The first circular provides guidance on assessing forest damage using satellite imagery, while the second offers instructions to registered foresters on submitting felling and road license applications in affected areas.
Following the recent storms, DAFM anticipates a surge in license applications for forest roads and clearfell operations in the coming months. Under the Forestry Act 2014, windblown trees necessitate a felling license for harvesting and removal. DAFM is committed to streamlining the application process for forest owners and exploring simplified approaches that align with EU environmental obligations. The department is expediting the processing of windblow-related license applications to minimize timber value losses.
To expedite the process, DAFM will implement workflow and system changes, redeploy staff, and prioritize windblow-related applications. Applications submitted on or before August 31, 2025, will receive priority. Additionally, pending clearfell or road license applications impacted by Storms Darragh and/or Éowyn will be prioritized. The Forest Windblow Taskforce is scheduled to reconvene next week to address ongoing challenges and strategies moving forward.
