L’Eucalyptus en France : une espèce remarquable pour la production de biomasse

Eucalyptus trees play a very important part in reforestation on a global scale due to their rapid growth and high quality fibre. This raw material is widely used in the paper pulp industry and has been popular with the French industry for a long time. In the 1970s, a research programme conducted by FCBA, formerly AFOCEL, was set up to choose the species and cultivation methods best suited to the climate of southern France. The best varieties produce excellent results at sites where the adverse conditions are often unsuitable to farming. A range of clones that are variably winter-hardy is now on offer for foresters. The potential areas for development of Eucalyptus have been mapped out taking soil and climate constraints into account. Plantations intended for the paper industry now cover nearly 2,000 ha grown as short rotation coppice cycles (SRC). The development of biomass energy markets opens up new perspectives for Eucalyptus in France. However, the cost of establishing the stands needs to come down. SRCs are one way of constituting a forest resource for timber and biomass for energy production in France. These plantations must be sustainably established in the environment and territorial context in which they are located.