Abstract
The most extensive study to be carried out in Poland, and one of only a few worldwide, regarding the influence of location, tree age and forest habitat type on the basic fuel properties of silver birch (Betula pendula Roth.) wood was conducted in 12 Forestry Districts of the Polish State Forests. The field study included trees in three age groups of approximately 30, 50 and 70 years. The research was carried out in a fresh broadleaved forest (FBF) habitat type, where in Poland silver birch stands predominate in respect of coverage area and merchantable volume. Additionally, for five selected Forestry Districts, a comparative study was conducted in a fresh mixed broadleaved forest (FMBF), the second most important habitat of this tree species. A total of 306 test trees were examined. For every sample, calorific value and contents of ash, carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, sulphur and chlorine were determined. The results indicated a statistically significant influence of location on the calorific value (p = 0.0001) and on the contents of ash (p < 0.0001), carbon (p < 0.0001), hydrogen (p < 0.0001), nitrogen (p < 0.0001) and chlorine (p < 0.0001) in the analysed wood. Moreover, statistically significant differences were observed between values of ash content (p = 0.046) and of calorific value (p = 0.0026) depending on the forest habitat type. Tree age was found to have no significant influence on the calorific value of silver birch wood.
Highlights
Knowledge of certain physical and chemical parameters of wood is of key importance in determining its possible uses
This work constitutes the result of a study of the fuel properties of silver birch (Betula pendula Roth.) wood—the widest such study far in Poland and one of only a few worldwide
Analysis of the findings concerning the heat of combustion, calorific value, ash content and elemental composition of the silver birch wood depending on location, tree age and forest habitat type allows the following conclusions to be stated:
Summary
Knowledge of certain physical and chemical parameters of wood is of key importance in determining its possible uses. In Poland, the first large-scale studies of this type were pilot studies of birch stands conducted in the years 2003–2007 in the north-eastern part of the country These pilot studies focused on variation in physical and mechanical properties and Bioenerg. The importance of research on this species results from the continuous increase in its area share among the broadleaved tree species found in Polish forests, as well as changes in the natural range of the main forest-forming species. Another factor is the quantity of timber delivered and sold. According to the State Forests reports, the sourcing and trading of birch timber is at a level of approximately 3 million cubic metres per annum [8]
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