Stephen Barr

Veon Arboriculturists encountered this Scots pine – Pinus sylvestris hanging in there along woodland trail in County Wicklow. One sided basal decay can cause compression failure in the sound wood fibres on either side of the cavity. The now over-stretched wood reaches its ultimate tensile strength, resulting in shear failure. Luckily this tree never fell, … Read more

Veon foresters completed the harvesting and successful replanting of this commercial woodland in County Sligo to ensure that our client enjoys the benefit of continuous growth on site. Replanting a conifer forest immediately after harvesting offers a myriad of benefits, encompassing ecological, economic, and social aspects. This proactive sustainable approach to forest management not only … Read more

The scourge of dumping in Irish forests has necessitated the erecting of forest road barriers to make it as difficult as possible for illegal dumping to take place. Veon Forestry ensures that our forest management clients are protected to the fullest extent from this scourge.   Under Irish legislation, once waste is dumped on land, … Read more

At the end of a tree crop’s rotation and when the forest has been clearfelled, the landowner must replant with species specified in the felling licence within two years of the felling licence expiring. On this Veon managed site in County Leitrim, a careful windrowing operation is taking place to ensure that the site is … Read more

Coillte has designated 90,000 ha of their estate to be managed for biodiversity.  Much of this area is under forest where the opportunity to create, restore and enhance biodiversity exists.  Redesigning these areas will provide greater species diversification and ecological and climate benefits.  This is largely done through the conversion of forests to mixed or … Read more

Trees sometimes jeopardise their own structural integrity with their voracious appetite for light. As seen in this veteran oak. The two lower left limbs crossed paths at some point in the past in their quest for light, and, through secondary thickening, their barks were ultimately pressed together. Rather than both limbs continuing with secondary thickening … Read more

First thinning refers to the practice of selectively harvesting trees in a forest during its early stages of growth when the trees are still relatively young. Forwarding prevents damage to forest roads, ensuring they remain accessible for forest management activities, emergency response, and recreational use. It minimizes soil erosion, sedimentation, and runoff into nearby waterways, … Read more

Plenty of character in this veteran beech (Fagus sylvatica) spotted by a Veon arboriculturist during a tree survey today in Co. Wicklow. The actively growing southern bracket fungus (Ganoderma australe) can be seen growing from a large crown gall, which is essentially an agitated cambium growing irregularly due to a microbe. Ganoderma australe is a … Read more

Appropriate assessment derives from the Habitats Directive (92/43/EEC), which safeguards the long-term survival of Europe’s most threatened and valuable species and habitats. The geographical areas of particular importance to these species and habitats have been selected as Special Areas of Conservation (SAC) and Special Protection Areas (SPA) which are collectively referred to as European sites. … Read more

I never tire of watching skilled harvesting machine operators in full swing as pictured here in this clearfell operation on a Veon managed forest in Co. Leitrim. Once harvested, Veon will replant a new woodland crop which will sequester more CO2 from the atmosphere. This lumber will be processed in Irish sawmills to provide much-needed … Read more