The Effect of Growth Rate on the Wood Quality of Fast Grown Hardwood Plantation Species in Sri Lanka

Abstract

In the past when most of the country was covered by natural forests, logs of various natural species flowedinto the market. However, now that natural high canopy forest cover has reduced, and restrictions on fellingand transport of timber, supplies from natural forests are limited. The domestic forest industries are dependenton the supply of wood from sources other than natural forests. Forest plantations play major role in supply oftimber. State forest plantations established earlier and several private sector plantations, which are now beingestablished, will produce main share of commercial timber in Sri Lanka in the future. Many private forestcompanies claims to produce fast-grown timber in very short rotations such as 15- 25 years. Forestersnormally decide the age of felling based on the tree growth, (culminate point of MAI and CAI), but(Ruwanpathirana, 2002) suggested that maturation of different wood properties should also be consideredin deciding the rotation age.

In this paper wood quality of fast grown plantation species are reviewed generally, with special referenceto three key commercial hardwood species, which will make major share of future timber supplies in SriLanka: Eucalyptus (Eucalyptus grandis, Mahogany (Swietenia macrophylla) and Teak (Tectonagrandis).