02-14-2011, 06:31 PM
Obie, the eucalyptus forests were planted on leased land, with much cty/state/fed assistance, and the process companies went belly up in less than 5yr. The initial plan was to harvest at about 5-10 years, utilizing a grappling type truck thingy that would grasp, cut & load the trees. (there are a couple of these thingys rusting away up on the Hamakua coast)
I had a class project in '05 that looked at the potentials for these groves, but most trees were then too large in dia, wt & length to be utilized as planned, and they are very close planted for all but clear cut systems. The trees have become somewhat of a pain for adjacent landowners & some of the roadways, as the edge trees have been toppling in high water & wind events over the last 7 years.
Over the last few years, there have been a number of proposals for these trees, mainly for chipping, or biofuel, but nothing has yet come to fruition, & most of the plans want further a$$istance to develop.
I had a class project in '05 that looked at the potentials for these groves, but most trees were then too large in dia, wt & length to be utilized as planned, and they are very close planted for all but clear cut systems. The trees have become somewhat of a pain for adjacent landowners & some of the roadways, as the edge trees have been toppling in high water & wind events over the last 7 years.
Over the last few years, there have been a number of proposals for these trees, mainly for chipping, or biofuel, but nothing has yet come to fruition, & most of the plans want further a$$istance to develop.