Processing 17-year-old Tasmanian blue gum sawlogs grown at wide spacing

Summary

Large areas of Tasmanian blue gum (Eucalyptus globulus Labili, subsp. globulus) have been planted in the south-west of Western Australia. This resource is principally planted on farmland for pulp and paper manufacture, but a small proportion has been managed for sawlogs. In this study a sample of logs from a 17-y-old Tasmanian blue gum stand grown on an ex-bush site, and thinned and pruned at an early age, was processed into sawn timber. Mean sawlog small-end-diameter-under-bark was 39.3–45.6 cm. The recovery of appearance-grade boards, based on log volume, was 30%, and another 2.4% could be used as filler laminates in panels or panel products. Mean air-dry density was estimated to be 680 kg m⁻³, similar to the density found in other studies, but lower than the density of mature trees. Recovery and wood quality are compared with those obtained in other studies conducted in Western Australia and the eastern States. The development of a new eucalypt sawlog industry on cleared private land is discussed.

Keywords:

• forest plantations
• silviculture
• fertilizers
• sawmilling
• drying
• recovery
• outturn
• wood utilization
• wood properties
• wood density
• quality
• wood defects
• Eucalyptus globulus