In Europe poplar plantations has been planted for more than one hundred years. In the first plantation was made in 1940. The interest for poplars has since then shifted over the years and has for long periods been very low but is now slowly increasing again. The main reasons why poplars are becoming more interesting are because of their great production potential. Nevertheless, the knowledge of how to mange poplars in Sweden are very low and very little research has been done concerning management of the species.
The objective for this study was to; 1) investigate and document experience and results obtained in practical Swedish forestry, 2) to give a fair picture of the perceived advantages and disadvantages that the poplars has for the forestry, 3) document what the foresters that has experience and those who has no experience of poplar plantations thinks about the potential of poplars. Together this will hopefully make a rather complete picture of what is known of poplar silviculture in Sweden today.
O.P 42 (P. maximowiczii x P. trichocarpa) is today the only poplar clone used in a large scale in Swedish forestry. The result from the field inventory shows that poplar plantation can have a higher survival than 90 % after one growing season, both with and without fencing against deer’s and mouse. In Sweden three different seedlings types of poplars have been tested: 1-year rooted cuttings, un-rooted cuttings and half years rooted cuttings in pot plants. Root- and stump shoots regenerations has produced more than 15 000 stems/ha three years after the regenerations felling. Browsing animals have shown little interest of feeding of leafs and branches from poplars.
Over a sixteen years long rotation period five poplar stands (O.P 42) showed a mean annual production of 20,5 – 38,5 m3/ha. Other clones in test plantations have a mean annual production of 11,2 – 37,0 m3/ha. The mean annual growth over the six years since the first thinning in four O.P 42 stands have been 30,1 – 39,8 m3/ha/year.
In some cases poplar stands have been subject to storm felling but in other cases it withstands wind so experiences do not show a clear picture.
The interviewed foresters with experience of poplars were all positive to plant more poplars in the future. The main reason for the foresters to establish poplar plantations where that poplar gives an economic income on a time span that for forestry is very short. Today the goal is the same and the foresters are encouraged by the results that they have seen so far.
The recommendations by the interviewed forester about the silviculture of poplar are that the species should be planted on rich soils, with god supply of water without being too wet. The initial spacing should be 2 – 3 meters and the stand should be thinned 0 – 2 times in a rotations period of 15 – 25 years. The rotation length depends on which spacing you starts with and how many thinnings that are planned.
The demand of poplar timber has not been high on the timber market but pulpwood has alw...
