Mitos y realidades sobre los Eucaliptus

Publicamos a continuación un carta de nuestro vecino Mario Waissbluth, que está circulando por mail.

Estimados amigos:

Dado que he escuchado muchas versiones sobre lo dañinos que son los eucaliptus, y como yo en forma ignoranticus planté un par de docenas de ellos en mi terreno hace añgunos años, me puse a averiguar en internet sobre la información científica al respecto.

Lo que logré encontrar es poco y no queda para nada claro que sean tan dañinos ni que chupen más agua que otros arboles de crecimiento rápido.
Les anexo un par de citas al respecto.

Otra cosa es mantener su altura a raya, cosa que creo todos debieramos hacer en bien de los vecinos.

Por cierto, si alguien tiene otra información que contradiga la de este ecologista improvisado, feliz de recibirla.

Cordiales saludos

Mario Waissbluth.

ANEXO:

Since eucalyptus plantation became quite intensive, the negative effect of the eucalyptus tree over water availability is being discussed. There is an obvious reason. As it grows vertiginously fast, the water consumption of the plant is enhanced. Based on that, the fame that “eucalyptus drains the soil” was consolidated.

(Dado la magnitud que han adquirido las plantaciones de eucaliptus, se ha polemizado sobre el efecto negativo de los árboles de eucaliptus en la disponibilidad de agua. Hay una razón obvia.
Como crecen en foma vertiginosamente rápida, el consumo de agua de la planta se incrementa. Basado en esto, se ha consolidado la fama de que "los eucaliptus drenan el suelo".)

Forest Researches prove that eucalyptus trees consume the same amount of water than other vegetation species, including native woods. The eucalyptus uses available water in a more effective way: it produces more wood with the same amount of water. (Paula Lima, 2004).

(Investigaciones efectuadas en bosques prueban que los árboles de eucaliptus consumen la misma cantidad de agua que otras especies de vegetación, incluyendo los árboles nativos. El eucaliptus utiliza el agua disponible en forma más eficiente: produce más madera con la misma cantidad de agua. (Paula Lima, 2004).)

In the past, due to the lack of scientific knowledge, people had a bias against eucalyptus. Recently, the ecology discourse increased the value of native species in detriment of exotic species, as if to condemn planted forests of eucalyptus and pine.


Well, surely these two species are exotic. But, almost all the agriculture species are exotic as well: corn, soybean, rice, beans, sugarcane, coffee, potatoes, oranges, etc. The only native Brazilian species is the manioc. Therefore, there is nothing either odd or different on this matter between agriculture and silviculture.

The pulp and paper production chain, when compared to other agribusiness, maintains a larger volume of protected natural areas. The preserved area covers 2,6 million hectares summing the total area of permanent preservation and legal reserves, including the native parks and reserves and the Natural Patrimony Private Reserves that integrate the National System of Preservation Units from the IBAMA (Brazilian Institute for the Environment and Renewable Natural Resources). This protection has an important effect that creates a beneficial attribute to the sector in the biodiversity issue.

THE HYDROLOGY OF EUCALYPT FORESTS IN AUSTRALIA - A
REVIEW
WALTER P. LIMA
University of São Paulo, Forestry Department
13400 - Piracicaba - SP, Brazil

Comparative studies have shown average annual evapotranspiration in pine plantations to
be in the same order of magnitude of that observed in eucalypt forests. Young, vigorous,
dense regrowth of E. regnans forest was found to yield less water in comparison with
mature forest. At the age of 21 years, the difference in water yield was found to be around
200 mm per annum, but catchments yields tend to equalize as the regrowth matures