Strategies for Reclaiming Eucalyptus Groves

Hello,

Here in Oakland California and across much of CA, Eucalyptus was introduced after much of the redwood and oak forests were cleared. It is extremely invasive dropping its leaves prodigously and changing the soil to its own needs. It goes up in flames every easily which doesn't help considering how poor the water management is around here. I've also heard it is very greedy for water.

My question is how do you turn that under. What are some strategies you can use to reclaim areas that have been colonized and keep it out? Can you build hugelkultur from this wood? Will a healthy polyculture sucessfully repel eucalyptus's advances when it is dropping it's caustic leaves all over the place?

Hello Thomas,

I heard similar things about the Eucalyptus problems in California while I was there last year. I heard that Sailors planted it some time ago to be able to build ships from it in the future. The only problem is that they planted the wrong variety, and the type that grows in California is not the kind that is highly sought after for building ships.

It is never to ones advantage to fight against the creations of nature, this is an uphill battle at best, and you will always loose in the end. A better approach in my opinion is to look at this resource thoughtfully and come up with a way that it can benefit you. Surely you can build hugelkultur from it but eucalyptus is also a valuable tree for honey, musical instruments, essential oils, pulpwood, and dyes. If you come up with a way to market it, and make a suitable product, then the demand for this product will by nature limit the spread of the eucalyptus.