Optimal harvest scheduling in Eucalyptus plantations : A case study in Galicia (Spain)

Abstract

This paper focuses on strategic management planning of Eucalyptus globulus Labill. plantations in Galicia (northwestern Spain). Several problems associated with the management of these plantations were identified first. Current management plans for plantations of this species consist of the systematic and somewhat arbitrary application of the area control method. Thus, these plans do not take into consideration the optimum length for one full plantation cycle that maximizes the land expectation value, neither do they formulate the area control method through any mathematical programming model for scheduling regeneration harvests. In this paper, we present a modelling approach based on linear and goal programming. The models consider area and volume control regulation strategies, and take into account variations in land productivity among site classes and successive rotation intervals. To illustrate this approach, we applied the models to a neighbourhood community-owned forest currently managed by the Regional Forest Service with a recent management plan. The results showed that the models provided more flexible harvest schedules, and the profitability of eucalypt stands was 64% higher than that under the current management plan. Finally, extensions to this study were identified.