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California's coast redwood in New Zealand

Informally Refereed

Abstract

New Zealanders are making a significant effort to develop their forest industry to benefit from rapid growth exhibited by Sequoia sempervirens on both the North Island and South Island. US and New Zealand forest products companies have established redwood plantations in the past decade, and have found that microclimate, site preparation, soil chemistry, fertilization and precise silvicultural practices are all of utmost importance. Farm foresters have established experimental redwood tree crops alongside Pinus radiata and many other western US and NZ native species. The NZ Farm Forestry Association Redwood Working Group has many experimental growth monitoring plots scattered around the country. Nursery producers are testing several California redwood clones that have shown exceptional promise. Researchers have been monitoring plantations of these and other clones here in California and in New Zealand. Genetic traits such as wood density, growth rates, and knot size are known to affect final product quality. Tree growers recognize the importance of investment in improved growing stock. While New Zealand plans to develop domestic and Australian markets for redwood products, growers hope to develop a redwood timber that will be competitive in international forest products markets.

Parent Publication

Keywords

redwood, New Zealand, plantation, tree improvement, farm forestry

Citation

Gaman, Tom. 2012. California's coast redwood in New Zealand. In: Standiford, Richard B.; Weller, Theodore J.; Piirto, Douglas D.; Stuart, John D., tech. coords. Proceedings of coast redwood forests in a changing California: A symposium for scientists and managers. Gen. Tech. Rep. PSW-GTR-238. Albany, CA: Pacific Southwest Research Station, Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture. pp. 611-615.
https://www.fs.usda.gov/research/treesearch/41339