Paper: “The Value of Hybrid Aspen Coppice Investment: A Case Study of Estonia”
Our partners from the Estonian University of Life Sciences and the University of Tartu have published, as part of the ONEforest project, the open-access scientific publication “The Value of Hybrid Aspen Coppice Investment under Different Discount Rate, Price and Management Scenarios: A Case Study of Estonia”.
Hybrid aspen is one of the most promising tree species for short-rotation forestry in Northern Europe. After the clearcutting of hybrid aspen plantation, the next generation arises from root and stump sprouts. The economic feasibility of different management strategies of hybrid aspen coppice stands has not yet been comprehensively evaluated in Northern Europe.
Thus, in ONEforest we have compared the land expectation values (LEVs) of hybrid aspen coppice stands managed according to four scenarios: three early thinning methods (corridor, cross-corridor, and single-tree) followed by conventional management and intensive bioenergy production (repeated harvests in 5-year rotations) over a 25-year period in hemiboreal Estonia.
We found that the 25-year rotation with different early thinning methods was more profitable than short bioenergy cycles in the case low discount rates (10%) were applied. Hybrid aspen coppice stands can be managed profitably, but more risks are taken when the management strategy focuses only on bioenergy production.
Read the full open access scientific publication here.
