German sawmilling industry calls for boost in local wood sourcing in light of Ukraine war

In a statement, DeSH says Germany faces major challenges in the coming months and years against the background of the Ukraine conflict, with the country’s diverse dependencies on fossil and imported resources, especially in the energy sector.

“The interruption of supply chains and production not only has serious consequences for the work and livelihood of many people, but also for the transport of goods of all kinds and the secure supply of heat and electricity,” it said.

“At the same time, climate change [issue] is progressing and requires a consistent shift towards sustainable and renewable materials in all areas of life.”

DeSH says wood can make a “significant contribution” to overcoming these challenges. “Wood significantly reduces Germany's dependence on fossil energy sources and products from other countries and at the same time, as a renewable raw material, makes a central contribution to the bioeconomy from the forest to processing to wood products.”

It called for a strengthening of domestic wood use through sustainable management.

Specifically, it argues for no further regulatory bans on forest use, revision of the EU Biodiversity Strategy, revision of the CO2 reduction targets, increase in funding for reforestation and creation of clear framework conditions for domestic hardwood processing.

DeSH says strengthening of the processing and use of hardwood in Germany as a political goal has been slowed down by far-reaching bans on forest use and unclear framework conditions. 

It also argues for lifting of the existing logging moratoria for beech forests, subsidy programmes for the material use of hardwood in durable products and preservation of supply chains through capacity expansion in timber transport.

“The supply chains in the timber industry from the forest to the factory to the construction site require a large amount of personnel and transport capacities, which have been severely affected by the [Ukraine] war. In the short term, the slump in drivers and freight options should be compensated for by expanding the remaining capacities.”