Benchmarking: análise das práticas de manejo no regime de talhadia em povoamentos florestais.

Abstract

Given the instability of the global economy, many companies are seeking alternatives to reduce production costs by reevaluating their planning for conducting coppicing in their forest plantations. Coppicing management has a lower cost compared to reform, making it a promising alternative for such scenarios. Thus, this study aims to survey the practices carried out under the coppicing regime among Brazilian forest sector companies. Eight companies from the sector, distributed across six different states in the country, were analyzed. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews and analyzed through descriptive statistics. The results indicated that the main variables considered by companies in selecting a stand for sprout management were: productivity from the previous cycle, genetic material, survival, climate, and distance from the factory. Coppicing management showed an average productivity loss of 11% compared to reform, however, there was a cost reduction of 48%. The study showed that there is variation in the height and age criteria used for sprout removal. Regarding the number of sprouts left per stump, 63% of companies leave 1-2 sprouts. The stump height was also indicated as an important factor to be considered, which can be reduced to as low as 5 cm depending on the genetic material, with the most commonly used height being 10-12 cm. Stump cleaning is a common practice in most companies, and the presence of residues is considered beneficial as they cover a large part of the soil, delaying the regeneration of weeds. It was recommended to fertilize the sprouts before desprouting, especially with potassium, due to the high sensitivity of Eucalyptus to the deficiency of this nutrient. In conclusion, the implementation of the coppicing regime is a complex and challenging process that requires careful strategic planning and critical decisions regarding the reform or management of stands. Nevertheless, it is used promisingly by most companies in the sector to reduce production costs.