Firewood - Hardwood / Softwood growth rates

[arboriculturist]

A typical load of hardwood logs will last longer and provide more heat than the same volume of softwood .... however softwood might be cheaper but by how much ? Does it cost much less to fell , extract transport and process and deliver to make it the same / similar value ? Eucalyptus is a fast growing hard wood that burns well , and remember seeing trials with Nothofagus but not sure what conclusions were .

 

We all know what is financially the best to burn, but like many resources on the planet we need to re-evaluate how we use them. I for one are keen to educate the public that we all need to do our bit and at least accept burning 50/50 Hard /Soft.

 

I am still interested to uncover the hard facts on differing growth rates of soft versus hardwoods - must be some FC company on the forum who have this type of data?

[Peasgood]

Poplar and willow are hardwoods.

 

I know the burn but not as good as leylandii. Turns out I do have some hardwoods after all.

[matelot]

Have a google for "yield class" it gives typical volumes that a Hectare of land will produce in timber a year (m3/Ha/year).

 

Typically Sitka Spruce will have a yield class of 6 to 24. Oak will have a yield class of 4 to 8. The varying yield class depends on the fertility of the site/ altitude/ weather etc.

 

I'd guess a rule of thumb would be softwoods grow twice as fast as hardwoods. There would be exceptions though, I'd imagine willow would grow faster than yew.

[openspaceman]

Have a google for "yield class" it gives typical volumes that a Hectare of land will produce in timber a year (m3/Ha/year).

 

Typically Sitka Spruce will have a yield class of 6 to 24. Oak will have a yield class of 4 to 8. The varying yield class depends on the fertility of the site/ altitude/ weather etc.

 

I'd guess a rule of thumb would be softwoods grow twice as fast as hardwoods. There would be exceptions though, I'd imagine willow would grow faster than yew.

 

Yield class indicates volume increment. heat energy is related to dry weight which is basic density times volume and softwood basic density is largely less than hardwood.

[broonie]

what about black locust? Landowner Fact Sheets - black locust

[arboriculturist]

Have a google for "yield class" it gives typical volumes that a Hectare of land will produce in timber a year (m3/Ha/year).

 

Typically Sitka Spruce will have a yield class of 6 to 24. Oak will have a yield class of 4 to 8. The varying yield class depends on the fertility of the site/ altitude/ weather etc.

 

I'd guess a rule of thumb would be softwoods grow twice as fast as hardwoods. There would be exceptions though, I'd imagine willow would grow faster than yew.

 

Ah, thanks for the post, i'll take a look now.

[openspaceman]

what about black locust? Landowner Fact Sheets - black locust

 

I have no yield figures for robinia but in general legumes sacrifice a bit of growth to support the nitrogen fixing nodules, so on nitrogen deficient soils they should have an advantage but I think things like pine have a different strategy for coping in low nitrogen, indeed in general trees cope with lower available levels of mineral nutrients because their roots can exploit lower levels.

 

Whilst willows have been bred for src with high dry matter yields ( 10 tonnes/ha dry matter) they are expensive to harvest compared with single stems and a lot of minerals are carried off, which is why for a sustained series of rotations single poles harvested largely bark free see to work in hotter climes.

[se7enthdevil]

A typical load of hardwood logs will last longer and provide more heat than the same volume of softwood .... however softwood might be cheaper but by how much ? Does it cost much less to fell , extract transport and process and deliver to make it the same / similar value ? Eucalyptus is a fast growing hard wood that burns well , and remember seeing trials with Nothofagus but not sure what conclusions were .

 

i think they trialed that at windsor great park as the forester said that the 1 hectare squares that they had were not followed up as they wee not as successful as was hoped.