Selection of Australian trees other than eucalypts for trials as fuelwood species in developing countries

Abstract

There is a critical shortage of fuelwood in many developing countries. The need is most serious in sub-tropical arid/semi-arid areas, the humid tropics and the tropical highlands. Historically, Australian eucalypts have been used widely for this purpose but increasingly there is a need to carefully consider the potential fuelwood role of many other Australian species. This article discusses ecological, botanical and management criteria that could be used in the selection of Australian species with potential for fuelwood production. A short list of possible fuelwood species is presented.