5. Conclusions
The pruning of planted eucalypts is a relatively
recent development with few pruned stands having
been grown through to harvest. Despite the ‘‘selfpruning’’
nature of many eucalypt species, the amount
of clear wood able to be produced by untended planted
stands is limited. Pruning appears necessary to maximise
clear wood production. The limited results to
date indicate that pruning should be undertaken while
branches are small and alive. To achieve this pruning
may be require as early as 1–5 years after planting.
This has the potential to reduce tree growth. However,
available evidence is limited to a few temperate
species. Further research is required on canopy
dynamics, stand growth and development, decay susceptibility
and wood quality for a wider range of
species. Only then will it be possible to make robust
generalisations across the genus.