Establishment

Abstract

Once land and the species have been selected, establishment of a plantation may begin. Minor works may be needed to prepare the site, including vegetation clearance, roading, drainage, building small bridges or culverts, fencing or establishing firebreaks. The next step is soil cultivation that disturbs and breaks up the soil to provide an optimum soil density and aeration for seedling root growth. Many different cultivation methods and types of equipment are available; the soil properties and tree species requirements will determine exactly what is done. Cultivation is expensive and care must be taken to ensure it is necessary for any particular site. Seedlings will have been grown in advance in a nursery. Nursery practices should provide seedlings best suited to the site where they are to be planted so they may immediately grow vigorously. Once seedlings have been planted, perhaps the single most important practice then is weed control; failure to control weeds for the first few years may lead to very substantially reduced tree growth rates. Generally, the trees grow large enough after a few years that their canopy shades out most weeds after that time. After the plantation is harvested, there may be no need to replant with seedlings if the species concerned is capable of coppicing, that is, resprouting from the cut stumps. Many species do this readily and wood yields from coppice can exceed those from plantations established with seedlings.