Sitka spruce will continue to be the main commercial species in the British Isles, but there are reasons to also consider wider planting of other species to better serve the aims of modern multipurpose forestry – not least a better resilience of the forest (and timber supply) to pests, diseases and climate change. There is also need to bring species that are present in the forest, but not currently managed, into the supply chain. However, little is known about the wood properties of these species when grown in Britain, and their suitability for processing in British mills. There is a lot of valuable information within the forestry and sawmill industries gained from years of practice, so a survey was undertaken to gather information about experience, perception and knowledge of processing and marketing timber from these less common forest species. This paper highlights some key findings.
Keywords: sawmills, spruce alternatives, wood species
Authors
Steven Adams
National University of Ireland Galway, Galway, Ireland
Dan Ridley-Ellis
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