Scottish timber exports to Ireland have now been paused after an invasive beetle wreaking havoc on conifer plantations across Europe was discovered at port.
Wood Central understands that precautionary forestry measures are in place after three Ips cembrae beetles, more commonly known as the large larch bark beetle, were found at a port in Cork where logs from west Scotland were moving through.
Ips cembrae is a large bark beetle that bores into larch trees and can have a damaging effect on the quality and volumes of timber. In very rare cases, it can be found on other species. It can also land on other timber without establishing a breeding colony and simply use the timber to hitch a lift.
Wood, wood products, bark, and wood packaging material are considered the main pathways for spreading this pest. Officials from both nations have warned that the beetles may have hitchhiked on timber from Scotland.
Until further investigations have been carried out, a pause is now in place preventing all conifer timber with bark from being transported to Ireland from Scotland’s west coast Pest Free Area, which stretches from the Mull of Kintyre, Mull, through to Fort William and over to the Isle of Skye.
James Nott, head of tree health at Scottish Forestry, said: “Scottish Forestry’s tree health team are in regular contact with their counterparts in Ireland over this finding: “We have both agreed that a precautionary pause in the movement of timber is the right course of action whilst investigations progress. We need to carry out further tracing and surveillance, then carefully consider the next steps and take a judgement based on the evidence.”
Irish authorities have agreed to allow timber already in transit on boats to continue their passage. All Scottish log imports are inspected at Irish ports and, in transit, will be subject to an inspection at the port before being cleared.
How Scotland is ramping up to handle potential infestation
Already, Scotland has spent months ramping up timber restrictions at ports, in forests, and manufacturing mills and it is now deploying new technology to monitor forests in the wake of the growing Bark Beetle crisis.
Wood Central understands that the beetle’s risk to trees and timber stock will elevate now that species emerge from hibernation – with stressed spruce trees, damaged by windblown or drought “most at risk.”
At stake is a £771 million industry, with Scottish timber used in 92% of housing, fencing, paper, and biofuel – employing more than 30,000 Scottish workers, including King Charles III Balmoral Estate.
Now, Scottish Forestry is working with Welsh and English authorities to “reduce risks posed by the great spruce bark beetle, Dendroctonus micans.”
The threat comes after adult beetles were intercepted for the first time in September 2023 near Grangemouth, Scotland’s largest container terminal.
The beetle has caused widespread destruction across Central Europe
And whilst Scottish forests are not as suitable as Central European forests for the beetle, which has sustained enormous losses to timber-producing spruce, authorities warn that the climate is similar to parts of Scandinavia where the beetle has now taken hold.
Already, breeding programmes have been established in South-East England, with the pests arriving in Southern England, like in Scotland, via cross-channel imported material. This led the UK government to introduce a GB-wide monitoring network with traps used at ports, wood processing facilities, and forests across the country.
According to Cameron Macintyre, Tree Health Planning and Contingency Manager for Scottish Forestry, “We’re surveying for Ips typographus and other damaging pests and diseases,” adding that authorities are now “asking everyone to be vigilant and report suspicious symptoms to TreeAlert (the monitoring system established by Scottish Forestry).”
Mr Macintrye said, “All you need to do is take photographs of the trees and the symptoms and record the date and location of your finding.”
The new crackdown comes after the Republic of Ireland established a 35km buffer zone for all timber imported from Scotland in areas with beetle breeding zones.
At the time, Ireland’s Minister of State for Agriculture, Senator Pippa Hackett, said the department had worked closely with the Scottish authorities to arrive at an outcome that would protect Irish forests.
“My department has had detailed discussions on these new measures with its Scottish counterparts, with the overall aim of ensuring that the integrity of the Pest Free Area is maintained and that Irish forests are protected.”
- To learn more about the bark beetle and why European countries are now turning to Big Data and Big Tech to monitor the threat in “near real-time”, visit Wood Central’s special feature.
