Coppicing is a sustainable forestry harvesting technique that we utilise to regenerate tree growth and to encourage multiple trunks on Mallee trees and increase biomass growth, leading to an ongoing cycle of increasing harvests in the future. In parts of Australia, Oil Mallees have already been harvested for in excess of 100 years and are producing more biomass and oil now than they have previously due to increases in knowledge of plant and soil health.

Mature mallees are harvested by shearing their trunks at ground level. Regrowth (coppicing) occurs from the well-developed mallee ligno-tuber below the surface to form a dense two metre shrub of healthy green biomass over a two to three year period. An increasing amount of biomass is harvested with each harvest cycle and is processed to produce eucalyptus oil, wood vinegar and biochar.

Harvesting coppiced trees after regeneration is simpler and more economical than harvesting a tree which has been left to mature, because there is only green biomass (leaves and twigs) which can be effectively harvested using a mechanical forage harvester. In addition, the young green biomass has a higher oil content, typically yielding 1.5% eucalyptus oil compared to an average 1.0% yield from mature tree biomass. Tree coppicing also initiates a continuous cycle of increased carbon sequestration capacity, locking away considerably more carbon year upon year over time than if individual trees were left to mature.

Fasera has access to an estate of ~2,000 Ha of coppiced trees yielding about 3,333 tonnes of green biomass per annum.