SHORT ROTATION FOREST BIOMASS PLANTATIONS IN THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITY (INCLUDING WOODY SHRUBS)

Objective

THE STUDY CONSISTS OF TWO PARTS :
THE FIRST COVERS THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE WITH CHAPTERS ON :
- POLICY AND ECONOMIC ASPECTS;
- THE SCIENTIFIC BACKGROUND;
- SELECTION AND BREEDING;
- TREATMENT OF SITE AND CROP;
- HARVESTING, DRYING AND STORAGE;
- A STRATEGY FOR THE FUTURE.

THE SECOND PART DEALS WITH THESE TOPICS COUNTRY BY COUNTRY.

BY THE END OF 1986 THE PROJECT LEADER HAD RECEIVED AND COMMENTED UPON ALL THE FIRST DRAFTS AND HAD ALSO RECEIVED THE FINAL VERSIONS OF SOME OF THE COUNTRY REPORTS. THE MAIN POINTS TO EMERGE FROM THE STUDY ARE THAT AN EXPANSION OF SHORT ROTATION FOREST BIOMASS PLANTATIONS WHICH ARE ALREADY PRODUCING SIGNIFICANT QUANTITIES OF WOOD FOR PULPING IN PORTUGAL AND SPAIN WOULD BE OF GREAT BENEFIT TO THE RURAL POPULATIONS IN SEVERAL REGIONS WHILE AT THE SAME TIME MAKING ECONOMICALLY VIABLE USE OF LAND NO LONGER NEEDED FOR AGRICULTURE; THE BIOMASS CAN BE USED BOTH FOR PULPING AND AS A SOURCE OF ENERGY. THE PROVISIONAL RESULTS HAVE ALSO IDENTIFIED THE POTENTIAL AS WELL AS THE LIMITATIONS OF THESE PLANTATIONS AND ALSO THE MEASURES NEEDED AT BOTH NATIONAL AND COMMUNITY LEVEL TO ACHIEVE THE POTENTIAL.

Programme(s)

• FP1-ENNONUC 3C - Research and development programme (EEC) in the field of Non-Nuclear Energy, 1985-1988

Funding Scheme

CSC - Cost-sharing contracts

Coordinator

Forestry Investment Management Ltd

Address

GU1 2DG Guildford
United Kingdom