Thüringen Landtag,
Plenarprotokoll 7/55, pp. 33-35, 38-40.
Right
honorable Herr President. Valued colleague members. Dear viewers, here and on
livestream. Greetings to the Thüringen Forest Owners’ Association.
As a consequence
of a current, extraordinarily high national demand and a corresponding price
increase, domestic tradesman, the construction industry and the packing
industry are experiencing a distinct increased cost of their required raw materials.
The development is also in the context of a building boom in various countries
outside of Europe.
In Germany,
the number of building permits in 2020 and the beginning of 2021 has grown
compared to the previous years’ time period, among which are those for building
construction, the building of kindergartens and public offices, with effects
upon the price. In this connection, fallen conifer timber, for which until a
few months ago could be obtained only extraordinarily low prices, also undergoes
an increased demand. Log as well as cut timber prices also increase and
increase massively, and that also goes for all kinds of conifer. The German saw
mill industry and the German lumber trade are registering a substantial increase
in turnover in regards the demand, yet the forest owners and the lumber
producers profit but insufficiently from the price development. The price
explosions in the supply chains have taken place subsequent to sawing.
A greater
portion of the lumber will at the same time be exported and is here no longer
on hand, which, besides the increased expense, will be a problem for tradesmen,
home builders and the processing branches. In this situation, our motion [Drucksache 7/2193] shall take care to
support forest owners, secure the lumber branch and the building industry in
the Free State, and use the present opportunities for the Thüringen lumber
industry.
The Landtag
shall resolve that:
- The
lumber trade even in Thüringen presently registers a high income as a
result of a worldwide increasing demand for timber and logs, from which
Thüringen forest owners and log producers hitherto scarcely profit
appropriately;
- The
domestic/Thüringen market, as a result of the worldwide increasing demand
for wood, has entered into a shortage [Verknappung]
and thereby prevail in Thüringen a construction materials scarcity and a
processing postponement which negatively effect, and increase the prices
of, the various branches of industry;
- The
rising demand for logs and cut timber, and also increasingly for fallen
timber, offer an opportunity to stimulate a care of forests which in past months
for reasons of cost was not properly performed;
- A
strategy for the prophylactic protection and for the conversion [Umbau] of Thüringen forests must be
developed, whereby these forests will in the future be better secured
against infestation calamities and extreme weather, and the raw material
of wood be made available for the future;
- The
aspired forest conversion [Waldumbau]
can only be achieved by a clearing of fallen timber, well organized in
terms of personnel, as well as of finance and material;
- A
market-forming function inheres in the Thüringen State Forestry
Administration with its fixing of wood prices;
- A
plantation [Ansiedlung] and
smaller wood-working businesses in the Free State strengthen the regional
value-added chains;
- The
State should do all in its current power to strengthen and secure
value-added chains in the Free State of Thüringen;
- Electricity
generation from fallen timber is a possibility of utilization hitherto
insufficiently promoted, especially in times which present a reduced
demand or an over-supply;
The problem
of raw material shortage, wood shortage and increased expense of raw material
is thus to be approached from various sides so as to create short-term assistance
and in the mid- and long-term to avoid such situations in the future.
An optimal
forest management by means of Waldumbau
and support of private forest owners can thereby help not only that the Thüringen
forests continue to exist in respect to ecology, industry and tourism. The strengthening
of the domestic value-added chain secures workplaces in the Free State and
supports the Mittelstand.
To be
continued in debate. Many thanks for the attention.
…
Herr
President. Dear viewers and colleagues.
– Building
boom in times of Corona. Homeowners struggle in a monthly rhythm with
drastically rising prices or now falling prices. Even when these decline, Herr
Bergner, one should nevertheless exercise caution.
Thüringen
tradesmen and workmen find no material, the wood shortage endangers private and
state branches, the domestic value-added chains suffer. The order books are
full, the storage empty, part-time employment threatens and again it hits primarily
the Mittelstand.
The international
log trade accelerated in the third quarter of 2020 after a hesitant start in
the previous two quarters. The export of logs reached a record level in 2020. Thus,
according to statements of the Federal Statistics Office, around 12.7 million
cubic meters of logs, valued at over 800 million euros, were exported, which
means an increase of over 40 percent as opposed to 2019. The principal importer
was China with nearly 50 percent. Germany thereby doubled its quantity delivered
to China in the third quarter of 2020 as opposed to the previous quarter.
The producer
prices for logs, on the other hand,
remain below the level of previous years, while saw, roughing and proofing
mills realize increases in turnover in 2020 and 2021. The need for cut timber
products likewise has increased. While cut timber production in Germany already
in 2020 rose in comparison to the previous year, the German saw mill industry
announces for the first quarter of this year a turnover of almost 1.5 billion
euros. That is approximately 30 percent more than the first quarter of the
previous year as reported by the general association of the German wood
industry. The number is quite satisfactory; last year yielded over 80 million
cubic meters. It was a record year, referent primarily to coniferous timber
which, with over 80 percent, makes up the principal quantity.
The fallen
timber makes up more than half, yet in many places remains lying in the forest,
chiefly on account of a lack of saw mill and storage capacities, as well as on
account of uncovered recovery costs. A neglect with consequences.
The German saw
mill industry and the German lumber trade are now generating as a result of the
building boom rising incomes which they do not pass on to the forest owners – we
are here on account of that – which in addition gives rise to a restrained
delivery and less drive whereby the problem is enlarged.
You yourself
would have been able to make a motion, Herr Montag, if the theme is so
important to you.
An
observation of the market was implemented too late, hoarding effects in other
countries were recognized too late, so as to be able to counteract the material
shortage. The only demand for an export stop falls short. Now it needs be
counteracted by means of implementing the following demands:
1. To take care that the Thüringen Forest Administration observes the international market and, as a direct pricemaker for logs, creates the conditions by which the private forest owners can participate in the present high wood prices and so earn a better income for forest care and re-forestation projects;
2. To commit to that fallen timber remaining in the forest will be quickly salvaged by the Thüringen Forest or with support of private owners;
3. In regards the private forest owners, to actively take care of the claim to the possibility of “forestation contracts”, and to thereby de-couple wood marketing from forest management;
4. To take care that by strengthening the Thüringen woodworking industry, the raw wood at disposal in Thüringen can be processed in domestic value-added chains and, for example, be at the disposal of people wanting to build in Thüringen, of tradesman and of the packing or furniture industries;
5. In association with the Thüringen forestry branches, the forest owners, the Thüringen colleges and the State forestry institute, to further expand and to intensify forestry research for Waldumbau and for avoiding future infestation calamities;
6. To commit to an increase in the attraction of forestry teaching and study pursuits and to thereby also take into consideration the recovery of skilled labor;
7. In
regards excess supply, Herr Schubert, to commit to the promotion of the
possibility, on the EU and Federal levels, of the co-combustion of wood biomass
in coal power plants, in Erbrennungsanlagen,
as well as in community heating utilities, so as to promote the utilization in
suitable facilities of hitherto unused, leftover wood remaining in the forests.
Mid- and
long-term, sufficient skilled labor needs be made available so as to be able to
secure under contrary circumstances a total forest management. An improvement
of the training and recruitment situation can obviate future mis-developments,
as a result of which in past training cohorts various skilled workers did not
undertake employment.
The State
government needs not only set the parameters for a Waldumbau, capable of resistance, suitable to venue, and rich in
species and yield, but should, in association with Thüringen colleges and the Forest
Institute, be a scout for forest research and in regards training in the
forestry professions. The State administration’s special offices, the State
Forestry Institute, the Thüringen forestry branches and local colleges can here
by means of research make an important contribution.
One word on
the forests: At the beginning of the year, the forests experienced an initial
recovery, then the initial swarm flights occurred in May and meanwhile for the
month of June is to be figured record damages resulting from the bark beetle; almost
double as many cubic meters of damaged timber compared to the previous year are
to be lamented; the result of a too long delayed Waldumbau to more more mixed deciduous forests – for financial
reasons, among others.
A forest
hiatus [Stilllegung], on the other
hand, is no concept against bark beetle incidence and though the prices for
fallen timber may be sufficient, as the State Forestry Institute most recently
stated, as ever still do not primarily profit the private forest owners, who
however must secure 40 percent of the Waldumbau
in the Free State. They should be steadily compensated for CO2 obligations,
ecological variety, tourism and plainly also as suppliers of raw materials.
A comprehensive
strategy, which uses our forests and which considers economy and education, is
required in Thüringen’s interest.
In conclusion:
There remains that as always we can submit motions which, as good as they are, will
nevertheless be rejected, only because they come from the AfD.
Many thanks
for the attention.
[trans: tem]