Short Rotation Forestry plantation. An overview of cultural practices and an economic assessment in Central Italy

Abstract

The article firstly presents an overview of main cultural practices of a 15year-rotation forestry plantation ofblack locust (Robinia pseudoacacia L.) in central Italy; secondly, it provides an economic assessment of such plantation. In doing this, we apply a sensitivity analysis of a range of input values by using the Spread shee Costing Model (SCM). The objective of the evaluation is to assist bioenergy managers and researchers on key aspects that could improve profitability.The report concludes that SRF constitutes still a marginal reality in the national agriculture system. This is unsurprising considering the lack of initiatives for widespread use of biomass on a large scale. If this gap is filled, SRF would then be able to promise certain remuneration to the producers.