article id 163,
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                        Research article
                    
        
                                    
                                    
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                            The development of short rotation forestry for bioenergy requires  accurate and reliable yield estimates. This paper analyses the current,  expected and potential regional productivity of short rotation willow  plantations for six countries in Northern Europe. The estimations for  present productivity are based on empirical models, using data regarding  management, and local productivity based on the regional cereal yields.  The estimates of expected yield rely on the current trends of yield  increase from commercial willow plantations in the region. The estimates  for potential yield are based on climatic restrictions. The results  show potential average yields of 9.5, 6.8, 7.9, 9.0, 9.3, and 8.0 odt  ha–1 yr–1 for Denmark, Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Sweden,  respectively. The results of the study also show that there is a wide  regional variation between the different countries. In Denmark, Finland  and Sweden there is a convergence between the future forecasts and the  climatic potential yields in the areas of high productivity. The Baltic  countries seem to present lower estimates of present productivity,  reflecting possible socio-economic restrictions, although they show a  high biomass potential. The methods presented in this study can be  further developed in other areas where willow cultivation is considered,  and can serve as a basis for future economic considerations.
                        
                
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                            Mola-Yudego,
                            University of Eastern Finland, School of Forest Sciences, P.O. Box 111, FI-80101 Joensuu, Finland
                                                        E-mail:
                                                            blas.mola@uef.fi
                                                                                        