Tree plantation

[4] Some plantation trees, such as pines and eucalyptus, can be at risk of fire damage because their leaf oils and resins are highly flammable.

[5][6] Conversely, an afflicted plantation can in some cases be cleared of pest species cheaply through the use of a prescribed burn, which kills all lesser plants but does not significantly harm the mature trees.

Christmas tree farming was once seen only as a viable alternative for low-quality farmland, but that perception has changed within the agriculture industry.

Furthermore, if timber is regularly removed from the forest and turned into lasting wood products, those products continue sequestering carbon, while the replacement tree farm trees absorb more carbon dioxide, thus effecting a continuous reduction in greenhouse gas.

[10] While tree farms absorb large amounts of CO2, the long-term sequestration of this carbon depends on what is done with the harvested materials.

[11] A variety of analytical tools are used to quantify the carbon sequestration in forest, varying considerably in their detail and intended purpose.

[12] Many forestry experts claim that the establishment of plantations will reduce or eliminate the need to exploit natural forest for wood production.

In the Kyoto Protocol, there are proposals encouraging the use of plantations to reduce carbon dioxide levels (though this idea is being challenged by some groups on the grounds that the sequestered CO2 is eventually released after harvest).

[14] In contrast to a naturally regenerated forest, plantations are typically grown as even-aged monocultures, primarily for timber production.

Plantations established purely for the production of fiber provide a much narrower range of services than the original natural forest for the local people.

Some large environmental organizations are critical of these high-yield plantations and are running an anti-plantation campaign, notably the Rainforest Action Network and Greenpeace.

In South America, Oceania, and East and Southern Africa, planted forests are dominated by introduced species: 88%, 75% and 65%, respectively.

In North America, West and Central Asia, and Europe the proportions of introduced species in plantations are much lower at 1%, 3% and 8% of the total area planted, respectively.

For example, pine, spruce and eucalyptus are widely planted far beyond their natural range because of their fast growth rate, tolerance of rich or degraded agricultural land and potential to produce large volumes of raw material for industrial use.