Estimation des besoins en charbon de bois et en superficie forestière pour la sidérurgie wallonne préindustrielle (1750-1830). Deuxième partie : Les besoins en superficie forestière

The wood for the charcoal kilns to produce charcoal came from coppices whose rotation period is estimated to be some twenty years. A coppice of this age on medium soil would typically produce in the range of 80 to 100 steres per hectare, so forested surface area needs are estimated to be 4 444 ha on average per furnace. Considering the number of furnaces operating in Wallonia, it is realistic to estimate the overall surface area needed by the pre-industrial steel sector to be in the range of 325 000 ha of forests, i.e. nearly three quarters of the Wallonia forests of the time.