Understanding Silviculture Technology: Plantation Forestry in the Southern Hemisphere

This book describes the various technologies used in silviculture with a special focus on newer technologies that have been adopted over the past two decades in plantation forestry practised in the Southern Hemisphere. Historically, innovations in silviculture technology have been slow to develop; however, over the past two decades, new technologies have been invented and adopted to deal with labour, efficiency, and quality challenges. This book presents a comprehensive introduction to modern silviculture technology, as well as explains the environment and operations within which these technologies are used. In the context of this book, the focus is on industrial plantation forests grown in a range of Southern Hemisphere countries, mainly South Africa and Brazil, with a specific focus on the technologies used in establishing and tending eucalypts, pine, and wattle species. This book examines modern technologies used to produce trees from a nursery, including managing residues on the site, preparing the soil, fertilising, and irrigating the plants. It then examines the technologies available for after planting, including those that can assist in eliminating weeds, pruning, thinning, and fire protection systems. This book also discusses digital technologies available to manage silvicultural operations. By the end of this book, readers will have a strong understanding of the range of technologies available, the impact of those technologies, and their capabilities and limitations. This book will be of great use to students of silviculture and forestry, as well as professionals working in the forestry industry.