In-Woods Drying of Eucalypts in Southern Florida

Trees were felled on November 15 and partitioned into three subsets. One subset was destructively sampled for initial moisture content, another cut into 8-foot bolts and allowed to dry 4 weeks, and a third left lying with stems and crowns intact to dry via natural transpiration mechanisms for 4 weeks. Initial average moisture content ranged from 131 percent (ovendry basis) for the first 8-foot bolt to 122 percent for the fourth bolt in the tree. A 4-week drying period at the stump reduced moisture content to 114 and 94 percent in stacked bolts and to 78 and 63 percent in transpirationally dried trees. The moisture reductions represent recoverable heat energy gains of about 6 to 9 percent for stacked bolts and approximately 14 percent for intact trees. The reductions would produce energy gains per unit weight of fuel of 15 to 24 percent for stacked bolts and approximately 50 percent for intact trees.

You must be logged in to download any documents. Please login (login accounts are free) or learn how to Become a Member