FAIR-CT98-4193 PAMUCEAF: Poplars - A multiple-use crop for European arable farmers

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Biocomposites/Boards : Crops for Biocomposites/Boards : Crops for Paper/Pulp : Crops for Solid Biofuels : FAIR Area 4.3 - Diversification : Paper/Pulp : Solid Biofuels : Wood (Lignocellulose)

	Contract No:	FAIR-CT98-4193
	Date Prepared:	November 2000
	Source:	First Annual Progress Report

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First Annual Progress Report Abstract

Introduction

Agricultural over-production, poor profitability within some agricultural sectors, and Common Agricultural Policy reforms, rural unemployment; concerns about climate change, and the need for alternatives to fossil fuels as well as the high costs of annual imports of timber and wood products have created favourable conditions for the production of fast-growing tree species as an alternative crop on arable farmland across Europe.

Poplars would appear to be particularly suitable for production on surplus arable land. Modern hybrids are highly productive, have similar physical requirements to many arable crops and should adapt well to 'arable' production systems, have much shorter rotations than most forest crops, with earlier financial returns and can produce raw materials for many products including fuels for heat and electricity plants, fibreboard and particleboard, paper pulp, food crates and packaging, and veneers for plywood and furniture.

Some European countries (e.g. Italy, France, Spain and Belgium) have very well developed poplar industries, although few fully exploit the potential for production on agricultural soils or the diverse cropping and utilisation options. There is tremendous potential for the development of new markets for poplar wood, for rapid increases in production in central European states and for improved profitability e.g. by careful site-clone matching, increased utilisation of agricultural machinery and design of 'multi-purpose' plantations. Allowing public access for recreational or sporting purposes, encouraging game species, keeping 'free range' livestock or use as a dedicated area for utilisation/disposal of farm manures and slurries, dirty water, sewage sludge or other organic waste materials may offer significant opportunities for 'added value' in productive poplar plantations - which might make some otherwise unprofitable plantations economically viable.

Recent EC-funded research (AIR-CT94-1754) has illustrated the considerable potential for certain poplar clones grown on farmland, if suitable sites and production systems are chosen. However, efficient exploitation of this potential requires six key questions to be properly addressed:

• What present markets for poplar wood exist and which have the greatest development potential?
• How economically viable are various poplar cropping options, when compared with agricultural enterprises within typical farming systems?
• Which regions are likely to be most suitable for poplar production?
• What are the likely environmental impacts of widespread poplar planting - on biodiversity, soils, water resources and landscapes.
• How are poplars perceived by farmers, members of environmental groups, poplar growers and user industries?
• How can pest and disease problems (in particular that of Melampsora rusts) be satisfactorily overcome, to ensure high yields?

Objectives

This project takes a wide-ranging approach to these key issues, directly addressing the above questions. The project has six main objectives:

• To examine current levels of demand for various poplar (Populus spp.) wood products including veneers, sawn timber, fibre and wood chips for energy production - and identify likely future market trends.
• To determine the potential for widespread production of poplars as a non-food crop for surplus agricultural land, in the light of current economic and political factors and under a reformed CAP - as proposed by Agenda 2000.
• To determine the probable environmental impact of large-scale poplar production in agricultural areas - considering likely effects on soil and water resources, biodiversity and landscapes.
• To identify 'key areas' for poplar production, using GIS software.
• To assess the attitudes of farmers and the general public to a potential increase in poplar planting on farmland and identify their main objections to this crop.
• To produce revised recommendations for poplar production on arable or mixed farms - ensuring maximum profitability, full integration with other farm enterprises and environmental acceptability.

Activities

The recent EC-funded Poplar-for- Farmers project (AIR3-CT94-1745) has confirmed the potential, but the bio-economic models developed within that project require further development, testing and expansion. Hence, this work is being greatly developed within this project, using geographical information systems. There are, of course, some objections to the expansion of poplar production. Generally these objections are founded on concerns about the impacts on landscapes and on water resources. These aspects, and the impact of poplar on biodiversity, are being researched by this project. Markets for poplars are numerous and the flexibility of the crop means that there is a vast array of minor or potential products that utilise poplar wood or fibre. This project, involving a recognised multi-disciplinary team of experts from across Europe, examines all of the above aspects, as well as the potential for close integration with farm businesses, maximising the use of available labour, skills and equipment. The work is organised into seven Tasks:

• Co-ordination
• Products and markets
• Agriculture, silviculture and economics
• Geographical information
• Environment: water and soils
• Environment: ecology and landscapes
• Farmer and public attitudes

Progress

Work during the first year of the project has included the development of GIS-based maps of 'suitable' and 'highly suitable' areas within Europe for poplar production, using soils, climate and topographical data. These maps are now being further refined, using additional and more detailed national datasets.

Detailed data on water relations and nutrient cycling in poplar plantations has been collected from ongoing experiments at sites in Belgium, England and Sweden. Studies at all three sites build upon previous research of relevance while the research at the Balegem site in Belgium is a continuation of work undertaken for the Poplars for Farmers project.

Another aspect of Poplars for Farmers that is being further developed within the present project is the economic modelling of poplar production systems. Work completed so far has focused mainly on building a farm business model, which incorporates various poplar cropping systems, including short rotation coppice energy crops, which were not considered by the previous project.

Data on national and EU forestry and wood utilisation statistics have been compiled - enabling current European poplar production to be put into context. A diagrammatic poplar 'wood stream' has been created for Belgium and similar 'wood streams' are being produced for other European countries.

Much effort has also gone into the preparation of detailed protocols and the selection of suitable sites for work scheduled for later in the project including the field surveys of ecology, landscape and soils as well as questionnaires carefully designed for postal surveys of farmers and poplar growers. These questionnaires have been translated from English into Dutch, Polish and Swedish. Postal surveys were completed in Ireland and Belgium (Flandres).

Achievements

Year I has been largely concerned with establishing the project's framework (appointment of Management Committee, production of detailed experiment protocols, selection of survey sites, etc) and instigating the work of each of the six technical tasks (purchase and installation of experimental equipment, collection of baseline data, drafting and despatch of survey questionnaires, construction of economic models, etc). Year 2 will produce much more publishable scientific data.

In terms of results, the greatest achievements from the project in year I were probably produced by Task 4. The completed Europe-wide analysis of suitable soils for poplar production has produced valuable data on soil suitability, early and late frost risks, and actual and potential evapotranspiration (as indicators of potential poplar growth rates) - with associated maps and GIS software. This important work is currently being further developed, at a national scale, for Belgium, Ireland, Poland, Sweden and the UK.

Further activities

Significant progress was made within all tasks during Year 1. However, some tasks or sub-tasks fell behind schedule. Major efforts are currently being made to ensure that these tasks (particularly areas within Tasks 2, 3 and 7) are rapidly put back on schedule.