sign in sign up
<<
Home , Energy forestry, Forestry in Chile, Short rotation forestry

34

Short-rotation – a complement to “conventional” forestry

.%JTKUVGTUUQPCPF-8GTOC

*KIJFGPUKV[UWUVCKPCDNG ack of is common in many and abiotic damage. Short-rotation for- RNCPVCVKQPUQHHCUVITQYKPI countries – particularly for estry excludes as many of these limit- VTGGURGEKGUUJQYRQVGPVKCN Lindustries in developed countries ing factors as possible. Irrigation and HQTFGXGNQRGFCPFFGXGNQRKPI and for fuel in developing countries. fertilization are often used, but only in EQWPVTKGUCNKMG Greater attention to short-rotation for- an ecologically and economically sound estry on agricultural land and on fertile way. are weeded and com- forest soils could offer a way to pro- peting species are removed. Spe- vide forest industries with enough wood cies, provenances and clones with high resources and people in the developing water-use efficiency or high resistance world with enough fuel, while conserving to frost, insects, fungi and bacteria are natural (Christersson, 2005). planted. Fencing prevents browsing by Short-rotation forestry is defined in animals. Plantations are harvested when this article as the silvicultural practice the yearly growth rate no longer exceeds under which high-density, sustainable the mean annual increment. plantations of fast-growing tree species The present article summarizes observa- produce woody on agricultural tions made at a session on “Wood produc- land or on fertile but degraded forest tion in and in short-rotation land. are grown either as single forestry systems – synergies for rural stems or as coppice systems, with a rota- development” at the XXII International tion period of less than 30 years and with Union of Forest Research Organizations an annual woody production of at least 10 (IUFRO) World Conference in Brisbane, tonnes of dry matter or 25 m3 per hectare. Australia, in August 2005. It describes The practice should optimize the use of cases in which as many limiting factors as natural resources, environmentally and possible are taken away to achieve maxi- economically, through the application mum growth rate of trees, demonstrating of biological, physical, theoretical and the potential of the practice. Examples practical knowledge (Landsberg GVCN, include poplar in the United States, Can- 1997). The biomass produced is used ada and India, in Sweden, for construction, pulp and paper, fodder in China and Ethiopia and eucalypts in and energy. Wood from short-rotation Australia and Brazil. Examples from some forestry may replace wood from tropical other countries recognize further oppor- forests and from protected forest areas tunities for short-rotation forestry. and thus help conserve valuable natural forests for future generations. ':#/2.'5(41/&'8'.12'& In what is considered “conventional” %17064+'5 forestry in the northern hemisphere, the *[DTKFRQRNCTRNCPVCVKQPUKP0QTVJ entire growth potential of a tree species #OGTKEC Lars Christersson is in the Department of Short is not fully utilized for various reasons: The outstanding growth potential of Rotation Forestry, Faculty of Forestry, Swedish economic and ecological difficulties in 2QRWNWU VTKEJQECTRC and 2QRWNWU University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), Uppsala, Sweden. creating optimal water and nutrient con- FGNVQKFGU has been realized in Canada -CTVCT8GTOC works in the College of Forestry, ditions; competition from herbaceous and the United States by growing to Dr Y.S. Parmar University of and plants and other tree species; and biotic some extent the pure species, but mostly Forestry, Nauni, Solan, Himachal Pradesh, India.

7PCU[NXCVol. 57, 2006 35

In Australia, short-rotation forestry could be used to lower elevated saline ground-water levels, which frustrate the cultivation of all types of vegetation

forestry to replace fossil fuels included the existence of well-developed district heating systems in almost all towns and villages and the already widespread use of wood energy (up to 20 percent of all L. CHRISTERSSON energy) in Sweden. Other driving forces hybrids of the two (Dickmann GVCN, ments with plantations of 'WECN[RVWU included overproduction in , 2001). Hybrids of other poplar spe- species carefully selected for rapid which made land available for forest cies from Europe and Japan have also growth, irrigated with effluent waste- plantations, the high cost of imported been introduced (Steenackers, 1990). water from towns and industries, annual oil and gas, and concern about the green-

In Canada and the United States, com- production of up to 40 tonnes of dry house effect of CO2 emissions resulting mercial establishment of poplar plan- matter per hectare has been reported in from combustion of fossil fuels. tations began for the most part in the southeastern Australia (Baker, Duncan In this type of , 20 cm 5CNKZ 1980s. Spacing varies from 2 × 2 to and Stackpole, 2005). cuttings are planted on agricultural land 3×3m and rotation time from six to In many sites in southwestern Australia, in a double-rowed coppice system, with seven years. Most of the plantations are the saline ground-water table had become repeated harvests after two to four years located in the provinces of Alberta and elevated through replacement of forest (Verwijst, 2001). There are 16 000 ha of British Columbia in Canada and in the with agricultural crops. Strips of care- plantations in Sweden Mississippi River Valley and the state of fully selected, deep-rooted, salt-tolerant, today, but based on the overproduction in Washington in the United States. Annual fast-growing 'WECN[RVWU spp., with spa- agriculture and the government’s goal to production reaches 10 to 15 tonnes per cing of 6 to 10 m in rows 50 to 100 m make Sweden independent of imported hectare (Stanton GVCN, 2002). Even in apart, have been planted on agricultural oil, the potential could be estimated at the semi-desert near the Columbia River, land to lower the ground-water table 500 000 to 1 million hectares. irrigated and fertilized hybrid poplars enough for successful agriculture (Wildy Single-stem plantations of introduced achieve an annual production of 15 to 20 GVCN, 2000). The total above-ground 2QRWNWUVTKEJQECTRC and 2FGNVQKFGU and tonnes per hectare (Heilman and Stettler, biomass production, including leaves, hybrids of these have also achieved large 1985). Initially poplar wood was used for is about 10 tonnes per hectare annually woody biomass production (Karacic, paper and pulp, but in some plantations, and is used in the production of Verwijst and Weih, 2003; Christersson, wider spacing and longer rotations are powder, oil and energy. 2006). Only a few hundred hectares used (sometimes in conjunction with have been planted, but the results are ), and some companies now use 'PGTI[HQTGUVT[KP5YGFGP so impressive that many farmers are it for timber, wall panelling, fruit boxes Energy forestry – short rotation planta- showing an interest in planting more. and furniture. tions of carefully selected 5CNKZ species The wood will be used for paper as well and hybrids in coppice systems for pro- as energy. +TTKICVGFEucalyptusRNCPVCVKQPUKP duction of biomass for energy production Utilization of short-rotation forests Australia – was developed in Sweden after the oil as vegetation filters for waste prod- In the homeland of the genus, irrigated crises in 1973 and 1979 (Sirén GVCN, ucts is strongly supported in Sweden plantations of 'WECN[RVWU species have 1983). Factors that enabled the successful (Perttu and Obarska-Pempkowiak, 1998; shown real growth potential. In experi- introduction of this type of short-rotation Dimitriou and Aronsson, 2004).Waste

7PCU[NXCVol. 57, 2006 36

Salix viminalis energy in Sweden, with one-year-old shoots on four-year-old roots

reach 30 to 40 tonnes of dry matter per hectare at different rotations (Scurlock, Dayton and Hames, 2000). Organic and inorganic fertilizers are used systemati- cally. Commonly used organic fertilizers are compost, human waste and barnyard manure. These are applied at the rate L. CHRISTERSSON of 1.5 to 4 tonnes per hectare per year, water and sewage sludge, which contain spp. are producing about 300 to 350 m3 buried in 5 to 10 cm-deep channels large amounts of nitrogen and phospho- per hectare in seven years. On the best between the bamboo plants (MOST, rus, are used to fertilize and irrigate soils in this area, without irrigation, INBAR and INFORTRACE, 2002). plantations of willows and poplars. The annual production of 60 to 90 m3 per hec- waste products can also contain pollut- tare has been reported. Despite annual 9QQFRTQFWEVKQPCITQHQTGUVT[CPF ing heavy metals, which some precipitation of 1 300 to 1 400 mm, UKVGCOGNKQTCVKQPKP+PFKC clones are able to absorb efficiently. experiments have shown that irrigation As a result of restrictions on in nat- When wood from this type of plantation with effluents from communities and ural forests imposed by the Indian Gov- is burned, heavy metals can be extracted industry can double production. Most ernment, fast-growing, short-rotation from the fly ash and bottom ash. How- of the Aracruz plantations are on later- ever, this process is not yet economical, ite soils, and all such forest plantations so today most of the ashes are deposited are limed with dolomite and calcium Seven-year-old Eucalyptus plantation at city waste disposal sites. carbonate and fertilized, particularly in Brazil, ready for harvesting; research is directed at reducing the rotation time with phosphorus and nitrogen. Some VQſXGVQUKZ[GCTU 2NCPVCVKQPUQHJ[DTKFCURGPKP(KPNCPF ant and caterpillar infestations have been In southern Finland, hybrid aspens (2QR recorded. To minimize risk of pests and ulus VTGOWNC× 2QRWNWUVTGOWNQKFGU) diseases, companies try to maintain a grown for particle board have the poten- broad genetic base in the breeding pro- tial to produce 20 m3 per hectare per year. gramme (Lorentzen, 2001). Some experiments with short-rotation 5CNKZ spp. for biomass for energy are $CODQQRNCPVCVKQPUKP%JKPC as long running as those in Sweden, There are some 1 500 bamboo species in with annual production in small plots the world (all in the family Gramineae), of almost 1 kg per square metre for a and about 40 percent of these species 5CNKZRJ[NKEKHQNKC plantation on limed are found in China (Ohrnberger, 1999). and fertilized peat land in the far north Many grow so fast that their cultiva- (latitude 64oN) (Pohjonen, 1991). tion can be considered as short-rotation forestry. ':#/2.'5(41/&'8'.12+0) Bamboo has been grown in China for

%17064+'5 thousands of years, for many different L. CHRISTERSSON EucalyptusRNCPVCVKQPUKP$TC\KN purposes.$CODWUCEJWPIKK, for exam- In the Aracruz area of Brazil, plantations ple, is planted in tropical China; the of fast-growing hybrids of 'WECN[RVWU annual above-ground production may

7PCU[NXCVol. 57, 2006 37

forest plantations are emerging as a crops on farms and non-forest land for 4GHQTGUVCVKQPQHVTQRKECNOQKUVHQTGUVU major source of raw material for Indian environmental uses, as well as to pro- KPVJG2JKNKRRKPGU wood-based industries. Forest plantation vide fuelwood and small roundwood Most of the natural tropical moist for- activities have been emphasized since which may not be harvested from natural ests in the Philippines have either been the Indian Government recognized, as forests. clear-cut or selectively cut with removal early as 1961, the gap between sup- Farmers in the foothills of the north- of the largest trees. Short-rotation forest ply and demand for all types of wood. western and central Himalaya commonly plantations, mainly of )OGNKPCCTDQTGC Chaturvedi (1998), in a review of Indian plant 2QRWNWUFGNVQKFGU with rotations of and some #ECEKC species, have been industrial plantations cultivated under 8 to 12 years. The rotation for irrigated established on some islands (Diaz and various schemes, highlighted a need for 2FGNVQKFGU on agricultural lands in the Tandug, 1999), and short-rotation for- plantation of short-rotation species, e.g. alluvial plains of Punjab, Haryana and estry has been introduced in a type of 'WECN[RVWU, Casuarina and 2QRWNWU spe- parts of Uttar Pradesh is four to eight lowland agroforestry system (Saplaco, cies, to meet the growing demand for years. A single poplar tree with a rota- 1999). Some foreign companies, from raw material for wood-based industries. tion of six to nine years in the plains New Zealand for example, have recog- In response to recent commercial plan- and 15 to 25 years in the hills produces nized the suitability of the climate and tation activity in central and southern on average 0.5 m3 of timber. water conditions for short-rotation for- India, there is also renewed interest in High-density, short-rotation mixed estry and are replanting clear-cut areas, growing (6GEVQPCITCPFKU) on short plantations including some fast-growing e.g. on Mindanao Island. rotations. Research on teak wood quality nitrogen-fixing tree species have been is focusing on heartwood production found suitable for site amelioration #TGCUHQTHWVWTGUJQTVTQVCVKQP and timber strength from plantations and biomass production for fuel and HQTGUVT[KP%JKNG with relatively low-input management. fodder. Examples include .GWECGPC An example of potential for short-rota- )OGNKPCCTDQTGC has been grown suc- NGWEQEGRJCNC with/GNKCC\GFCTCEJ and tion forestry is found in southern , cessfully on short rotations for pulp 'WECN[RVWU spp. hybrids in subtropical where some 4 million hectares of land and paper in the north-eastern humid foothills and 4QDKPKCRUGWFQCECEKC with in the Aisén area, around the city of tropics. #ECEKCOQNNKUUKOC and Morus spp. in the Coihaique, were deforested over the In humid tropical areas of northeast- subtemperate middle hills of the north- past 50 years to provide space for a ern India, #ECEKCCWTKEWNKHQTOKU can be western Himalaya. 2TQUQRKULWNKHNQTC cattle-breeding industry for beef exports harvested four years after planting, with and#ECEKCPKNQVKEC (with 9- to 14-year to Europe and the United States. Since excellent biomass yields. Almost 50 per- rotations) are suitable for fuelwood and the cattle industry failed, this land now cent of the yield goes to pulp; the other site amelioration in the northern and offers excellent prospects for successful 50 percent is used as fodder. northwestern plains. short-rotation forestry. This land was Poplars and teak are also frequently used in agroforestry, particularly in agrosilvicultural, silvipastoral and sil- vimedicinal systems. Short-rotation for- estry is practised much more on farm- ers’ private land and on non-forest land than on forest land, 95 percent of which is under government control. Planners and policy-makers are encouraging the planting of fast-growing industrial wood L. CHRISTERSSON

Populus deltoides and agroforestry system in Punjab, India

7PCU[NXCVol. 57, 2006 38

previously covered by vast forests of Ethiopia and the Swedish University of many different tree species, including Agricultural Sciences (SLU). southern (0QVJQHCIWU and 2QFQ The wood and bamboo produced ECTRWU species) and broadleaf evergreen through short-rotation forestry can be Bibliography trees (e.g. 'WET[RJKC and Laurelia spe- used for fuelwood, construction mate- cies). Annual rainfall (300 mm close rial, paper, particle board and many other $CMGT6&WPECP/5VCEMRQNG&. 2005. to the Argentine border, but up to more products. This is another area of research Growth and silvicultural management than 2 000 mm towards the coast) and by Wondo Genet College and SLU. of irrigated plantations. +P S. Nambiar temperature are favourable for success- & I. Ferguson, eds. 0GY HQTGUVU YQQF ful tree plantations. %10%.75+10 RTQFWEVKQP CPF GPXKTQPOGPVCN UGTXKEGU, Short-rotation forestry produces large pp. 113–134.–134.134. Collingwood, Australia, 1RVKQPUKP'VJKQRKC amounts of biomass for energy and paper %QOOQPYGCNVJ 5EKGPVKſE CPF +PFWUVTKCN Some 12 000 ha of 'WECN[RVWUINQDW through the use of fast-growing tree spe- Research Organisation (CSIRO). lus plantations have been established cies. The full growth potential of a tree %JCVWTXGFK #0 1998. Plantations as near Addis Ababa (E. Olsson, personal species is realized by creating optimal a source of industrial raw material for communication). Annual production water and nutrient conditions, eliminat- wood-based industry. +P K. Damodaran, has varied from 13 to 46 m3 per hec- ing competition by herbaceous plants B.S. Aswathanarayana, T.R.N. Prasad, tare, with the maximum mean annual and other tree species, and preventing K.Hyamasundar & S. Padmanabhan, increment for coppice and single-stem biotic and abiotic damage. eds. 2TQEGGFKPIUQHPCVKQPCNUGOKPCTQP stands reached after 14 years and 18 Land that can be used for this type RTQEGUUKPI CPF WVKNK\CVKQP QH RNCPVCVKQP to 19 years, respectively (Pukkala and of plantation includes agricultural land VKODGT CPF DCODQQ, Bangalore, India, Pohjonen, 1990). However, the potential that is no longer needed for agriculture 23–24 July 1998, pp. 13–19. Bangalore, for further plantations throughout the because of overproduction; clear-cut for- Indian Industries Research and country is great because of the large est land in tropical and temperate areas; Training Institute (IPIRTI). land areas available and the favourable and degraded land, especially in many %JTKUVGTUUQP. 2005. Plant physiological climate for growing trees. In some areas developing countries. The methods used aspects of woody biomass production for where large areas of old-growth forest should be accepted from environmental, energy purposes. +P K.S. Verma, D.K. have been clear-cut the annual rainfall economic and aesthetic points of view. Khurana & L. Christersson, eds. 5JQTV reaches 2 000 mm. Although nutrient Production from short-rotation forestry TQVCVKQPHQTGUVT[HQTKPFWUVTKCNCPFTWTCN shortages are a problem, this could be facilitates protection of valuable natu- FGXGNQROGPV. Nauni, Solan, Himachal solved to some extent by introducing ral forests by meeting needs for wood Pradesh, India, Indian Society of Tree vegetation filters as described above in resources. Scientists. the section on Sweden. Bamboo and fast- The establishment of vegetation filters, %JTKUVGTUUQP. 2006. Biomass production growing tree species such as 'WECN[RVWU, in which nitrogen and phosphorus in of intensively grown poplars in the Cordia, %WRTGUUWU, 5JKPWU and )OGNKPC waste water and sewage are used for southernmost part of Sweden: observation species and hybrid poplars could be used irrigation and fertilization in short-rota- of characters, traits and growth potential. to filter waste water and sewage sludge tion forestry, can be of particular interest $KQOCUUCPF$KQGPGTI[. (In press) used for irrigation and fertilization. Such in developing countries where techni- &KC\%6CPFWI. 1999. Development plantations would be especially needed cally advanced purification plants are and management of short-rotation forestry around Addis Ababa. too expensive to establish. Vegetation in the Philippines. In 2TQEGGFKPIU QH C Ethiopia has hundreds of thousands filters also help prohibit eutrophication LQKPV OGGVKPI CV VJG 7PKXGTUKV[ QH VJG of hectares of bamboo stands (highland (nutrient pollution) of nearby streams 2JKNKRRKPGU.QU$CÌQU%QNNGIG, Laguna, bamboo, ;WUJCPGCNRKPG, and lowland and lakes. X the Philippines, 3–7 March 1999. bamboo, 1Z[VGPCPVJGTCCD[UUKPKEC) in &KEMOCPP&+UGDTCPFU,'EMGPYCNFGT very remote areas where unemployment ,4KEJCTFUQP, 2001. 2QRNCTEWNVWTGKP is high. Silvicultural methods might be 0QTVJ#OGTKEC. Ottawa, Canada, National developed for the management of such Research Council of Canada Press. areas (Kassahun, 2001). Research in &KOKVTKQW,#TQPUUQP2 2004. Nitrogen this area has been going on for some leaching from short-rotation willow coppice years through a collaboration between after intensive irrigation with wastewater. Wondo Genet College of Forestry in $KQOCUUCPF$KQGPGTI[, 26: 433–441.–441.441.

7PCU[NXCVol. 57, 2006 39

*GKNOCP2'5VGVVNGT4( 1985. Genetic Forestry, Report No. 61. Uppsala, Sweden, variation and productivity of 2QRWNWU SLU.. VTKEJQECTRC and its hybrids. Part II. 2QJLQPGP 8 1991. Selection of species Biomass production in a 4-year plantation. and clones for biomass willow forestry %CPCFKCP,QWTPCNQH(QTGUV4GUGCTEJ, 15: in Finland. #EVC(QTGUVCNKC(GPPKEC, 221: 384–388.–388.388. 1–58. -CTCEKE # 8GTYKLUV 6  9GKJ / 2WMMCNC 6  2QJLQPGP 8 1990. Yield 2003. Above-ground woody biomass models for 'WECN[RVWUINQDWNWU fuelwood production of short-rotation of 2QRWNWU plantations in Ethiopia. $KQOCUU, 21: plantations on agricultural land in Sweden. 129–143. 5ECPFKPCXKCP,QWTPCNQH(QTGUV4GUGCTEJ, 5CRNCEQ 5 1999. Lowland agroforestry 18(5): 427–437.–437.437. system (LAS): potential for farmer-based -CUUCJWP' 2001. The potential of bamboo . In 2TQEGGFKPIUQH as an interceptor and converter of solar C LQKPV OGGVKPI CV VJG 7PKXGTUKV[ QH VJG energy into essential goods and services: 2JKNKRRKPGU.QU$CPQU%QNNGIG, Laguna, focus on Ethiopia. +PVGTPCVKQPCN ,QWTPCN the Philippines, 3–7 March 1999. QH 5WUVCKPCDNG &GXGNQROGPV CPF 9QTNF 5EWTNQEM,&C[VQP&*COGU$ 2000. 'EQNQI[, 8: 346–355. Bamboo: an overlooked biomass resource. .CPFUDGTI , 2TKPEG 5 ,CTXKU 2 $KQOCUUCPF$KQGPGTI[, 19: 229–244. /E/WTVTKG4.WZOQQTG4/GFN[P 5KTÃP)2GTVVW-'EMGTUVGP*.KPFGT $ 1997. Energy conversion and use in 5%JTKUVGTUUQP.5GPPGTD[(QTUUG forestry: an analysis of forest production in . 1983. 6JG 'PGTI[ (QTGUVT[ 2TQLGEV. VGTOUQHTCFKCVKQPWVKNK\CVKQPGHſEKGPE[+P NE:1983:11. Stockholm, Sweden, Swedish H.L. Gholz, K. Nakane & H. Shimoda, eds. Board of Energy. (English summary) 6JGWUGQHTGOQVGUGPUKPIKPVJGOQFGNKPI 5VCPVQP$'CVQP,,QJPUQP,4KEG& QHHQTGUVRTQFWEVKXKV[ London, UK, Kluwer 5EJWGVVG$/QUGT$ 2002. Hybrid Academic Publishers. RQRNCTKPVJG2CEKſE0QTVJYGUVVJGGHHGEVU .QTGPV\GP '5 2001. #TCETW\ %GNWNQUG of market-driven management. ,QWTPCNQH CPPWCNTGRQTV. São Paulo, Brazil, Aracruz (QTGUVT[, 100(4): 28–33. Celulose S.A. Available at: www.aracruz. 5VGGPCEMGTU 8 1990.  [GCTU QH com.br RQRNCT TGUGCTEJ KP )GTCCTFUDGTIGP. /KPKUVT[ QH 5EKGPEG CPF 6GEJPQNQI[ QH Geraardsbergen, Belgium, Station voor %JKPC /156 +PVGTPCVKQPCN0GVYQTM Populierenteelt. HQT $CODQQ CPF 4CVVCP +0$#4   8GTYKLUV6 2001. Willows:Willows:anunderestimated an underestimated +PVGTPCVKQPCN (CTO (QTGUVT[ 6TCKPKPI resourcesource for environment and society. %GPVTG +0(1464#%'  2002. 4GRQTV (QTGUVT[%JTQPKENG, 77(2): 281–285. QP +PVGTPCVKQPCN 6TCKPKPI 9QTMUJQR QP 9KNF[ & $CTVNG , 2CVG ,  #TVJWT 6TQRKECN$CODQQCPF4CVVCP%WNVKXCVKQP & 2000. Sapling and coppice biomass 2TQEGUUKPI6GEJPQNQIKGUHQT4WTCN5OCNN production by alley-farmed ‘oil mallee’ 'PVGTRTKUGU, Guangdong, Hainan, China, 'WECN[RVWU species in the Western 12–26 October 2002. Available at: www. Australian wheatbelt. #WUVTCNKCP(QTGUVT[, inbar.int/news/reports/2002report.pdf 63(2): 147–157.–157.157. X 1JTPDGTIGT 1 1999. 6JG DCODQQU QH VJG YQTNF Amsterdam, the Netherlands, Elsevier. 2GTVVW-1DCTUMC2GORMQYKCM*, eds. 1998. 5GYCIGVTGCVOGPVD[OGCPUQHRKPG YKNNQYTGGFCPFITCUUXGIGVCVKQPſNVGTU. Proceedings of a joint Polish-Swedish workshop in Starbienino, Poland, 25–28 May 1997. Department of Short Rotation

7PCU[NXCVol. 57, 2006