Preliminary growth functions for Eucalyptus gunnii in the UK

This study represents the first attempt to develop growth functions for Eucalyptus gunnii grown in the UK. Functions relating height and age, height and DBH, cumulative volume and age and mean annual increment and age were developed using historic data. These indicated that stands in the UK achieved an average growth rate of 16 m3 ha−1 y−1 or approximately 8 Mg ha−1 y−1 of dry stem biomass at an age of twenty years. There is evidence that yields can be considerably higher where intensive silviculture, such as use of plastic mulches and nutrient inputs has been practised, such as at Daneshill in Nottinghamshire, where trees attained a height of 10.6 m in five and a half years. However, potential yields are often compromised by high mortality and a priority should be to identify areas in the UK where E. gunnii can be grown with low risk and also to choose well adapted genetic material.