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Eucalyptus plantations in Israel: an assessment of economic and environmental viability

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Abstract

This paper discusses a plantation management approach involving a combination of “short” and “long” rotations designed to allow farmers to receive income from trees as soon as possible after establishment. We present results from two plots that represent extreme conditions: (a) a seasonally waterlogged, non-saline site (Nahalal), and (b) a saline site (Ginnegar) located in the Yizre’el Valley, Israel. Six improved seed sources, four of Eucalyptus camaldulensis and two of E. occidentalis, were examined. The local Israeli seed source of E. camaldulensis (HA) performed best at both sites. In Nahalal, the short rotation thinning of the slower growing (50%) plantation trees could provide economic returns approximately five years after establishment. The calculated mean annual increment (MAI) of these trees reached 12.2 t ha−1 year−1. The long rotation, or better performing half of the plantation trees, could be used as a source of sawn timber, providing higher-value products. By nine years after establishment, the average DBH of the various seed sources reached 25.8 ± 1.9 cm. The calculated MAI of the combined cutting rotations reached 48.3 t ha−1 year−1. Eucalyptus grown under the combined (short- and long-term) management approach at Nahalal was more profitable than many other non-irrigated local crops. Eucalyptus production in Ginnegar would be less profitable than in Nahalal. However, an additional ecological benefit was provided by the crop’s ability to lower the water table. When this contribution to regional drainage is taken into account, trees become economically competitive with other non-irrigated field crops under saline conditions.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to express their thanks to the JNF-LDA for generously funding this research and providing considerable assistance with the field work. Especially appreciated Dr. Omri Bonea, Meir Kofman, Shally Ben-Ishay and Baruch Gabay for their logistic assistance. The authors gratefully acknowledge the meticulous monitoring performed by Yosi Moshe from the Agricultural Research Organization. Dr. Avram Gnizi (of blessed memory) and Miri Zarhi is commended for their help in analyzing the data and for providing valuable advice on statistical procedures. Finally, the authors would like to thank the “Mei Hasharon” company for volunteering to carry out the periodical thinning operations in the field plots and test the quality of the cut woods. Alfred Heuperman of Tatura, Australia provided editing services and valuable comments for the final draft of this document.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Agricultural Research Organization, The Volcani Center, P.O. Box 6, Bet Dagan, Israel, 50250

    Yechiel Zohar

  2. Jewish National Fund (JNF-KKL), Eshtaol, Mobile Post Shimshon, Israel, 99775

    Avi Gafni

  3. School of Forest and Ecosystem Science, The University of Melbourne, Building 916, Burnley Campus, 500 Yarra Boulevard, Richmond, Victoria, 3121, Australia

    Jim Morris

  4. Shalhevet Consulting, 126 Thorndike Street, Brookline, MA, 02446, USA

    Sarit Shalhevet

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  1. Yechiel Zohar
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  2. Avi Gafni
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  4. Sarit Shalhevet
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Correspondence to Yechiel Zohar.

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Jim Morris–Deceased.

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Zohar, Y., Gafni, A., Morris, J. et al. Eucalyptus plantations in Israel: an assessment of economic and environmental viability. New Forests 36, 135–157 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11056-008-9089-4

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