Europe Storms Disaster for 1999 Timber Markets -- UN
12/30/99
*******************************
RELAYED TEXT STARTS HERE:
Title: Europe storms disaster for 1999 timber markets-UN
Source: Reuters
Status: Copyright 1999, contact source for permission to reprint
Date: December 30, 1999
Byline: Robert Evans
GENEVA, Dec 30 (Reuters) - The storms that have ravaged western Europe
and left a huge trail of fallen trees over the past week could have a
disastrous effect on timber markets, a United Nations economic body
said on Thursday.
In a survey of the effects of the storms which ripped through forests
in France, Switzerland, Belgium and Germany, the U.N.'s Economic
Commission for Europe (ECE) said it could take years before the
markets returned to stability.
``The tempests will have disastrous effects not only the forests but
also on the timber markets, as well as wildlife,'' said Edward Pepke,
the Geneva-based ECE's Forest Officer.
And after-effects, he added, could be even more dangerous, with risk
of insect infectation of fallen trees which could spread to others
still standing, and further harm forests.
Apart from the normal timber market, the ECE said, the market for
recycled fibre was also likely to be depressed by a sudden surplus of
supplies since wind-felled trees were often unsuitable for use in the
construction or furniture industries.
The U.N. agency said the magnitude of the forest damage across the
region could not yet be assessed as many mountain forests were still
inaccessible, partly due to heavy snowfalls over the past two days.
But early reports indicated record levels of damage, it said.
In Switzerland, the government's environmental bureau says that some
8.4 million cubic metres of timber was felled by the gales of December
26 and 28, which in France have led to the declaration of a state of
emergency over much of the country.
This figure, representing two years of normal timber harvest, is twice
that of trees brought down in the last big storms to hit the country,
in 1990.
Already fragile markets for forest products were struggling for
balance between supply and demand before the storms, and the surplus
roundwood now available could seriously destabilise them, especially
in Europe, the ECE said.
Pepke said the precedent of the 1990 storms, whose effects lasted for
two to three years, indicated that it would be years before forests
and timber markets were healthy again.
Although some dead and dying trees were normally left in forests to
provide nesting sites for birds and animals, the vast numbers now
littering forests across Europe could provide a dangerous source of
infection for those that survived.
Therefore many of the felled trunks would have to be removed as soon
as possible, but this could only be done when soils were hard enough
to support heavy clearing and cutting equipment.
After the gales nine years ago, the ECE report said, Germany kept
stocks of logs in forests to reduce the immediate effects of over-
supply. But still prices of roundwood plummeted and forest managers
were left in financial difficulties.
This time too, it added, governments would be called in to help
finance forestry operations.