Eucalypts as a plantation species have several key features that distinguish them from native eucalypt forests. Currently, plantations are often grown on short rotations for fuel and pulp wood, e.g. China and Brazil use pulp wood rotations as short as 5 years, whereas Australian native eucalypt forest rotations for hardwood products are up to 60–100 years. However, there is a high variation in productivity of plantations, with mean annual increment ranging from less than 10 to over 50 m3 ha1 yr1. Compared to widely grown softwood species, e.g. Pinus radiata, the opportunity for high value products such as veneers and feature-grade timber is very high. In many developing countries, the eucalypt is bringing prosperity to local societies, e.g. through eucalypt oil harvesting, or providing much needed resources such as fuel wood