How Will Paulownia Trees Benefit the Entire Global Community?

Tags: global warming, paulownia, afforestation, reforestation, environment, carbon credits, CO2, ENOCIS, carbon offsetAs the effects of global warming continue to take their toll, the environmental experts are seemingly advising on afforestation as the only way out of the grim situation that we're facing. This is a biological control methodology that does not require a lot of resources to implement and maintain. Planting fast growing trees will restore our forest cover in rapid order, as we have no time to lose. There are several other trees in consideration, but only the Paulownia Tree has so many added advantages to offer humanity and the Earth.

Afforestation has a downside; its opposite is as we have seen is deforestation. We consume more wood than we sustain, and therefore cannot overlook the need for wood in any given case study. So how do we balance between afforestation to cater for the carbon offsets and the same for wood purposes? Paulownia Trees solves this puzzle with all the unique benefits that comes with its inception, we end up having an almost half to half winning situation on both carbon control and wood usage. These fast growing trees supply lumber, pulp and fuel at amazing rates of speed.

Paulownia Trees have a variety of advantages in forestry that covers most concerns mentioned which include, rapid growth that in just one year attains a height of 10-18 feet and within 6-10 years you have a fully grown shade tree that would normally take over 20 years to fully mature. Paulownia Trees have high carbon absorbing rate at 48 lbs per tree, and 13 tons of CO2 in each acre per year. When you cut down any of these fast growing trees, they are able to regenerate from the stump very fast, resuming growth immediately. Other benefits include, fire resistance at 477 degrees Celsius flash point, takes less years to harvest and do not twist or crack.

If we develop a good Paulownia Tree forest ratio that would cut across wood and carbon purification equally and maintain this consistently, then I would say we have the situation under control... although not fully solved. With all these wonderful things about them, we need to embrace this special species of fast growing trees without delay. Through continuing research and education, we would be able to realize the many benefits the Paulownia Tree has to offer the Earth. There may be even more amazing gifts found within Paulownia that we have yet to discover.

Deborah Bartley is an avid gardener and tree expert, who got the Enoch Olinga College (ENOCIS) growing paulownia for peoples of extreme poverty and manages to keep up to date with global environmental issues such as afforestation. To read more about the environmental benefits of the Paulownia Trees or how we are using paulownia in Panama at www.paulownianow.org

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Agro-forestry With Paulownia Organic Nitrogen

Tags: paulownia, plantation, agro- forestry, agriculture, fodder, green manure, cattleWhen set out in a plantation design, Paulownia are planted closely in rows, and then thinned by the row, over a number of seasons. In the first year of growth, mid season, every second row is harvested as lightweight material for pole constructions and the like.

After having been cut, the stumps left in the ground will re-generate at a remarkable speed. The resultant growth is used as a cut-and-come-again source of green manure or fodder.

Early during the following growing season, the stumps fail due to over-competition from the remaining plantation, mainly this is a light requirement factor, or rather, lack thereof. The leaves are huge. Grazing animals are not allowed into the plantation at this time.

The following season, but later in, once again, the now second row  of standing timber (now about 6 inches thick) is harvested. The same process is followed; only, this harvested timber is quite valuable for cabinet making, veneers and such.

The resultant stumps are left in-situ to re-grow. At this size, once cut, the stump releases the majority of its stored nitrogen comparable with the loss of its biomass. This mass release is then taken up by the remaining trees.

Resultant re-growth, although a marvelous source of regenerating green manure or mulch - is more efficiently utilized as standing fodder for grazing animals, which in their turn add manure to the plantation.

For the next two seasons, or until the stumps cease fodder production due to over-competition, grazers are periodically allowed in to feed. Provided there is enough standing fodder, the animals will leave the bark on the timber trees alone, so damage to the trees is negligible.

After the fourth season, provided no inter-crop has been incorporated, grazers can generally be allowed into the plantation, to manage the proliferation of weed growth and add their manure to the system. These weeds tend to be soft due to the lower light conditions, therefore easily manageable by grazing stock. Although the understory does have lower light conditions, the overall effect is more akin to 'park-like conditions', rather than 'rain-forest conditions'.

More secondary rows may indeed be subsequently removed or not, depending on the overall plantation system plan and the quality of the Paulownia timber desired.

For more information on paulownia you may read www.paulownianow.org

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