Anef Alexos wrote:Hi folks,
I found a great book, which describes very well varieties , yields and requirments, for firewood crops.
The name is Firewood Crops: Shrub and Tree Species for Energy Production
you can also preview it here http://www.pssurvival.com/ps/crops/Firewood_Crops_Shrubs_And_Tree_Species_For_Energy_Production_1980.pdf
I am thinking that, if I want to be firewood sustainable (in my area in Greece grows no forest and we need fire for 3 months), I would have to plant a fairly big area of firewood crops for a rmh, maybe an acre?
I believe that will depend on a number of variables. You will need to read up on which trees are best suited to your growing zone, and select several which offer suitable growth characteristics. I would speak with some nursery growers in your area, as well as arborist (tree specialist) or if your country has government agencies or university extension offices which specialise in helping people manage their land, I would certainly talk to them too.
In general, I would argue in favor of coppicing. It allows the roots to develop, and for species which react well to the repeated cutting, a good crop of fire wood should be available. You might also consider living hedges (sometimes called fedges,
fence + hedge). If these are suitable to your land you might be able to both grow firewood as well as living fences on your property. Such considerations are always very site-dependent as to the details that make a plan workable or not.
An example, which is totally off the top of my head and not at all researched or actually tried my me, is what if you had a pretty cross-tied willow living hedge, and at the end of each growing season you trimmed the tops off the "fence" and dried those to serve as
kindling? If they provided enough kindling, that would be one way of having a living fence, that also provided your winter kindling.
I would also expect you will find there are some species of trees which will like growing where you live that also respond well to coppicing. Once you know how long each species needs to grow between coppicing, you can design a wind break made up of these trees grown in lines, with appropriate spacing to allow growth to the age / years between coppicing. Then you rotate among them, just like that book you cited talks about being done in Europe centuries ago.
For my site, that wind break is best along my west property line, as well as the north edge of my property. To the west, that wind break is shared with the next door property, and not all that far from the house. On the north, that is where my empty acre is located. So that wind break would form a separation between my house and the other acre of land I have available. Depending upon the planned uses for each area, and what plants make for easier neighbor relations, I may choose one plant over another in each location. These are the types of considerations, other then weather and growing zones, that might effect one's specific choice of what to plant.
A word of caution:
Rapidly growing trees are sometimes considered invasive. Where I live (Missouri) there are about a dozen plants that are prohibited. I think it is a good idea to find out if there are any plants which are prohibited in your area. Also, taking a tree native to one country and introducing it into another, can have unexpected consequences. There are many examples of this in the plant world.
By definition, for growing wood fuel crops, we are going to look at fast growing trees/hedges. We want them to grow fast so that we can have firewood. But some thought as to the condition of the land in 50 or 100 years is worth giving some time as well. What happens if the next owners do not continue to harvest for firewood? In these cases, are there plant options which will work well in both conditions (rotating coppicing and just letting them grow wild for decades)?
So we are walking a line between fast growth for fuel, and not making a poor choice that might later get out of control, and invade surrounding properties. We want plants that grow fast enough to be useful, but not so aggressive they create problems for our neighbors.
The book you cited is a good start on your research. It makes some interesting points.
As to your question of whether one acre is sufficient, that too depends what is growing on it. It is of interest to me, because I have about an acre of land that could be dedicated to firewood. However, less would be better because I am also looking at that same acre for other crop production. So a balance must be sought somewhere along the way. So while I do not have any specific answers to your question, I certainly appreciate why you are asking.
One of the benefits of
RMH design is they are efficient, and make good use of smaller diameter pieces of wood. So if one buys firewood from another, it will last longer than in a common
wood burning stove, and if one is collecting limbs that naturally fall from trees, it will require less of the drops, as it will if one is coppicing their own trees for fuel. So at least we are in a good position to make good, efficient use of the wood we use (smile).