Forestry Focus

Threats to Forests

During the lifetime of forest stands they are subject to many different factors that can potentially threaten their very existence. Abiotic factors such as windthrow and fires can devastate forests while biotic factors such as insect pests, diseases and animal damage can seriously affect their  health and productivity. The protection of forests is therefore one of the  key objectives of forest management in order to maintain the sustainability of the forest resource. This section outlines the common threats that impact on Ireland’s forests and the measures that are taken to avoid them.