Timber is the ultimate destiny of most trees, Fergal Mulloy often reminds us. But on the way to that destiny, there is beauty, grace and even inspiration. The latter echoes the words of a Finnish furniture designer, Tuula Falk. "Striking the balance between wood and shape is my main task as a designer," and an illustration of a plain, wooden chair, designed by her from Finnish birch and alder, a remarkably light, serviceable and delicate creation, is part of a series of elegant double page spreads in an English magazine. The Finnish Forest Association are behind the ads. You might well get a craftsman or woman in Ireland to create an object of equal grace and utility, but the money spent by the Finns show what a big part of its economy depends on the tree paper making itself is a very important industry.
And here, through the post comes a report from the organisation COST. That is an acronym for Cooperation in Science and Technology. It's a report of the Technical Committee on Forests and Forestry products of that organisation, chaired by no less than the same Fergal Mulloy. It makes many of the points you know of already, but points which have to go on being made. One is that healthy forests harness solar energy, capture carbon dioxide and release oxygen, all in the one life saving process. And though forestry in its first phase - i.e. before becoming timber - does not employ intensively, all down the line from then work is created.
The world demand for wood is increasing while the forest area - outside Europe - is decreasing. Europe, says the report, provides sufficient wood to produce 107 per cent of her paper needs, and all her net lumber needs. Indeed, it claims, Europe is well on target to become a major net forest produce exporter. The report argues that more money is needed for more research.
COST includes not only members of the EU, but European countries outside it. Twenty five countries in all. We don't have, as does notably Finland, a tree-conscious culture. There is still an uneasy relationship between forestry and farmers. Afforestation in early Sinn Fein days used to be a big part of the national credo. We have to find an accommodation. If only one tree could be planted for every hundred words written on the subject . . .