UPM Pulp Matters 1/2023

PTUS

USD 5M

investment in new forestry research centre.

USD 2M

annual investment in forestry R&D in Uruguay.

“Also, with the inauguration of our new pulp mill in Paso de los Toros and third tree nursery in Sarandí del Yí, the scope of our work more than doubles, so the new centre provides a necessary boost. R&D is strategically critical for the company, as we are not only looking at optimising forestry operations but also selecting materials with the best characteristics for pulp production and fibre properties for customers,” Methol notes. ENHANCED ANALYTIC CAPACITY Methol says that since the new research centre was inaugurated, work has mainly focused on finetuning the equipment and especially calibrating the small nurseries where seedlings are produced for trials and new clones scaled up for production. “Each year we start a new 15-year pipeline by entering selected trees into the process. This year we were able to almost triple the amount of wood samples analysed in the initial phase, which increases our opportunities for identifying outstanding trees.” The new centre is one of the top facilities worldwide in its field and, according to Methol, UPM is a global pioneer especially in research related to Eucalyptus dunnii. “Obtaining cuttings from that species is difficult because of its intrinsically low rooting rate, so there are only a few

facilities in the world that have mastered its propagation from cuttings on an operational level.”

SUPPORTING COOPERATION In collaboration with universities and research institutions, the centre is also part of several research streams related to the sustainability of eucalyptus production. Studying water usage on plantations has been ongoing for over 20 years and monitoring the effects of plantations on the soil compared to land use for cattle grazing has continued for more than a decade. Also, as part of UPM’s biodiversity programme, biological surveys have been carried out since the early 1990s to help identify, classify and protect species and native ecosystems. Besides providing resources for collaborative research projects, the new facility will have a positive effect on forest producers associated with UPM’s Fomento Programme, which allows landowners the possibility to diversify their traditional production activities such as cat tle raising and agriculture with forestry through sustainable eucalyptus production. “We are now even better positioned to provide our partners with the latest technical advice and best possible seedlings for their plantations,” Methol concludes.

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