Caatinga wood energy production coupled with sustainable forest management

The sustainable use of wood from native forests is conditioned to studies that investigate productivity combined with the technological characteristics of wood, since it makes it possible to understand the amount of energy available in the stands. The objective of this study was to evaluate wood productivity and energy production per unit of annual production, besides estimating the rotation age of the stands in an area managed after shallow cutting. The study was carried out in the municipality of Joao Camara / RN. Of the total of 15 annual production units that make up the area management plan, four were selected at different cutting ages. According to a completely randomized design, ten rectangular plots (20 mx 20 m) per annual production unit were evaluated and, after analyzing the plot inventory, the species with a minimum of 70% representative of the area were selected: Poincianella pyramidalis (Benth.) Ducke, Mimosa tenuiflora (Willd.) Poiret, Croton sonderianus Mull.Arg and Aspidosperma pyrifolium Mart. Three sample trees of each species were felled, and then samples were taken at a height of 1.30 m from the soil (DBH) to determine the basic density, immediate composition, higher calorific value of the wood, and energy density and stock of energy in the stand. UPA 1 presented higher volume production of wood and the species Mimosa tenuiflora, Piptadenia stipulacea and Poincianella pyramidalis had the highest energy densities. In this way, UPA 1 stood out for having a higher energy stock. From the adjustment of the growth and production curves it was possible to estimate that for the conditions of the area the age of rotation or cut of the UPA should be 17.3 years.