Private Forestry Research Database - Products

Back to category selection

Potential Bioenergy Production from a Wastewater-Irrigated Plantation

Gross Calorific Values (GCV) of E. globulus and E. grandis biomass components, which were harvested at 3 and 6 years of age, and coppice at 3 years, were measured for Shepparton Short Rotation Forestry Experiment. Management Issues to increase harvestable biomass energy due to differences in GCV, biomass component yield and silvicultural treatments are discussed.

Mount Gambier Eucalypt Provenance Trials: Sawing, and Drying of Thinnings

This study aimed to assess a variety of eucalypt species for their potential to produce solid wood products. The focus was on appearance products.

The major results of the study were:

1. The overall quality of the thinnings was poor with dead knots, green knots an decay the major defects. This could be reduced in commercially managed stands
2. Distortion was a problem when sawing and drying boards
3. Eucalyptus sieberi, E. globulus and E. nitens showed the greatest percentage of standard plus grades
4. The small number of logs sawn prevents a valid statistical comparison of species. Further studies are needed here
5. There was little drying degrade due to the conservative drying schedule. The major drying defect was spring, with surface checking visible in about half the boards, but having a minimal effect.

High Value Products from Blue Gums on Farms at Low Rainfall

The objectives of the project were to

1. Examine the early growth response of established stands of blue gum to thinning and application of fertiliser,
2. Quantify tree water use in regions of different rainfall, and establish the impact of silvicultural options on tree water use,
3. Establish the incidence of a number of wood defects in plantation grown blue gum and relate these to the recovery and quality of sawn timber

The first two objectives were addressed in studies undertaken in two previously established blue gum stand sin the low rainfall region of S.A. at Beachport and Padthaway. The third objective was investigated from several provenances of ten year old blue gums located at two sites in the lower south east of S.A.

Progress with Application of the 3PG Growth Model to Victorian Plantations

The 3PG program has been recoded from an Excel Spreadsheet into Visual Basic.

Weibull functions describing the diameter distribution of E. grandis, E. camaldulensis, E. globulus and E. saligna were derived and the shape discussed. Non linear regressions were derived to predict the three distribution parameters of E. globulus and E. grandis in terms of age and mean diameter.

Eucalyptus grandis Thinning Trial: Progress Report 1998/99

In 1994 a thinning trial was established in a 6 year old effluent irrigated E. grandis plantation at the Shepparton Waste Water Treatment Complex. The specific aims of the trial are to 1/ investigate thinning treatments (intensity and timing) for production of sawlogs 2/ determine the trade off beteen sawlog and pulpwood production and the subsequent effects on commercial returns.

This trial compares time of once only thinning (non-commercial or commercial) in factorial combination with intensity of thinning (residual stocking of 800, 600, 400 and 200 stems per hectare.

This report presents growth data to age 10 years (4 years after non-commercial thinning). In addition, data from a nearby block of flood irrigated E. grandis to age 10 years is presented as a comparison.

Eucalyptus grandis Thinning Trial at Shepparton: Progress Report 1999/00 and 2000/01

In 1994 a thinning trial was established in a 6 year old effluent irrigated E. grandis plantation at the Shepparton Waste Water Treatment Complex. The specific aims of the trial are to:

1. investigate thinning treatments (intensity and timing) for the production of sawlogs
2. determine the trade off between sawlog and pulpwood production and the subsequent effects on commercial returns.

This trial compares time of once only thinning (non-commercial or commercial) in factorial combination with intensity of thinning (residual stocking of 800, 600, 400 and 200 stems per hectare.

This report presents growth data to age 12. This corresponds to 6 years after non-commercial thinning and two years after commercial thinning.

Recovery Potential of Quarter-Sawn Solid Wood Products from Regrowth and Plantation Grown Eucalyptus nitens

The objective of this study was to determine the value and volume of high quality appearance grade timber recovered from a 34 year old unpruned plantation and a 63 year old native forest (1939 regrowth). The study employed quarter sawing and drying strategies which are currently used by mills in Victoria for processing regrowth logs.

Sawlog quality from the plantation was low with 60% graded D or residual, while 63% of the native regrowth was B grade.

A comparison is given of recovery and prices for the plantation grown and native forest timber.

Height-Diameter Relationships and Diameter Distributions from Irrigated Eucalyptus grandis Plantations: Shepparton Thinning Trial

Growth rates in irrigated plantations are potentially very high. At present E. grandis and E. saligna are the species being studied because of their potential for sawlogs and preservative treatment.

This report presents detailed analysis and modelling of growth data from an effluent irrigated E. grandis thinning trial at Shepparton, particularily height-diameter relationships and diameter distributions. These models were used to estimate the quantities of poles and posts of particular specification that could be produced for several alternative silvicultural systems

Individual Tree Volume Functions for Plantation Eucalypts

Existing tree volume data was collated in 1997 and simple generalised volume functions were derived for the data segmented by tree size (product of diameter squared by height). Volume functions for E. globulus were derived individually because of the species increasing importance to the Victorian Plantation Forestry.

Since 1997 new individual tree volume data has been collected. This report describes all the data now collated into a database and presents new non-segmented individual tree volume functions for fast-grown plantation eucalypts. A specific equation for E. globulus is also presented.