Growing Trees as a Crop
The development of very fast growing hybrid poplar trees
makes it realistic to think about producing large volumes 
of wood in rotation cycles more common to agriculture than to forestry. Recent
research in Minnesota has shown that hybrid poplars can be an excellent planting choice
for conservation purposes or in wood farms to produce materials for fuel or wood products.
In comparison to traditional forestry, short rotation
forestry includes thorough site preparation, fertilization, and careful attention to weed
control. Compared to yields of 1 dry ton/acre/year in native forest strands, short
rotation forestry (SRF) of trees can produce 3 to 6 dry tons/acre/year.
Hybrid poplars can be an attractive cash crop for
landowners, especially in areas where trees were the native vegetation or soil and
drainage conditions make farming of grain or row crops difficult. Hybrid poplars have been
found to be tolerant of many insects and diseases and can withstand most harsh winter
conditions.
