Growth Rates and Wood Quality

Abstract

The growth rate of trees in a plantation depends on the species planted, the environmental conditions of the site and the silvicultural practices that are employed. For plantations being grown for the production of wood for industrial purposes (mainly building materials and paper), the fastest growing would have an annual growth rate increasing progressively during the early years of their life until they might contain about 300 m³/ha of wood in their stems by 5–10 years of age. Their annual growth rate would then slow progressively and they might contain about 800 m³/ha of stem wood by 25 years of age. Such high growth rates are rare; most plantations will produce appreciably less wood than this over the same time periods. World markets for wood for industrial use are increasingly concerned with the quality of the wood supplied from plantations. The detailed structure of wood and the characteristics that determine its quality are discussed. The silvicultural practices used in plantations may affect that quality. In particular, practices that increase tree growth rates, like weed control, thinning or fertilisation, may affect wood quality, particularly wood strength.