Mr. Paddy Purser:

That is right. It becomes a permanent forest. There is still a licence to harvest trees on a periodic basis but it would be a thinning licence, as opposed to a clear-fell licence. The Deputy mentioned biotic and abiotic risks. Abiotic risks include elements like wind and fire. We know the risks for even-aged forests and monocultural forests are higher with wind damage, particularly in cases of poor management, including if they are thinned late, for example. Fire is an increasing risk with climate change as we are getting drier summers. We are also getting increased wind storm events because of climate change.

In my presentation I outlined the concern that we may drive to plant many new forests, which is a fantastic objective that we should all aspire to, but if they are not made resilient they could become casualties of climate change themselves. The design and management of those forests is really important. On the biotic front, I referred to the bark beetle infestation in central Europe, which again has come as a result of very hot and dry summers. The spruce bark beetle affects monocultures in particular in central Europe and it attacks stressed trees. When trees and forests come under stress, they are much more prone to the infestation and it has had a knock-on effect here. As the forest industries know, it has affected timber prices because there is a flood of timber on the market in Europe as those forests had to be felled in an unplanned way. That has depressed the price of timber. The cheap timber is going to England now, and that is our main market.

The Deputy asked about training and capacity building. While there is a very strong cohort of foresters and forestry contractors in the country, we advocate a rethink or transition of silvicultural systems in Ireland whereby those same foresters and forestry contractors, as well as the forest owners, will upskill in alternative management of those forests. We are not looking at an entirely new resource of people or recruitment. We are trying to broaden the skills base of the forestry professionals out there in order that they can offer services to the forest owners of this country and to the State that will deliver on the multiple benefits that forestry can provide.