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Galicia Eucalyptus Area Climbs to 438,156 Hectares Despite 2021 Planting Ban

Researchers say satellite detection lags mean the moratorium’s effect will not be evident until around 2030.

Overview

  • The 2024 Continuous Forest Inventory records 438,156 hectares of eucalyptus, up 4.6% from 2023 and about 25,000 hectares higher than in 2022.
  • Study authors explain that part of the apparent rise reflects plantings from the pre‑moratorium boom and the time needed for satellites to detect young stands.
  • More than 5,100 hectares of eucalyptus are mapped on urban or urbanizable land where such plantings face legal restrictions.
  • The inventory flags 41,939 hectares in post‑harvest regeneration in 2024 and roughly 4,200 hectares of eucalyptus affected by fires.
  • Eucalyptus now accounts for about 28% of Galician territory, with native broadleaves at roughly 631,000 hectares and conifers at about 446,000, as total forest area grew 1.4% year over year.