"Dengg, Johann" 24/01/2007 16:48 AW: Storm damage Kyrill referring to my first mail reaction of last Friday on effects of storm Kyrill in the forests, additional information is now available: Preliminary estimations on storm damage in Germany's forests sum up to 22 - 25 mio. m3. Most effected areas concentrate in the central parts of the country following a line from Northrhine-Westfalia in the West to Saxony in the East. So far it can be stated that dimensions of former storm events were not met (Vievien/Wiebke 1990: about 75 mio. m3; Lothar 1999: about 35 mio. m3). Another difference compared with past storm events is that the economic framework conditions are much more favourable. Last year's strong demand for both, timber and fuelwood, is continuing. So timber markets should be able to absorb the volumes. Work has just started to get the timber out of the forests. In this respect weather conditions have strongly improved since yesterday (temperatures fell significantly, heavy snowfall started in southern Germany). This should also help to better control development of beetle population and prevent from diseases. Prevailing opinion in Germany is that the effects of storm Kyrill in the forests can be managed mainly by market driven instruments. Necessary policy action to support the processing concentrates on some measures, proved to be successful in the past (e.g. easements in taxes, facilitate transport, financial aid). Johann Georg Dengg Bundesministerium für Ernährung, Landwirtschaft und Verbraucherschutz Federal Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Consumer Protection Holzmarktangelegenheiten, Holzabsatzförderung Division Timber Markets, Sales Promotion Rochusstr. 1 53123 Bonn Tel.: +49 228 529 3359 Fax.: +49 228 529 4318 Mail: Johann.Dengg@bmelv.bund.de Home: www.bmelv.de