Particle.news
Download on the App Store

Galicia’s Eucalyptus Cover Rises 4.6% to 438,156 Hectares Despite Moratorium

Researchers attribute the surge to satellite detection lags, with the moratorium’s effect not expected to be visible until around 2030.

Overview

  • The 2024 inventory indicates roughly 25,000 hectares more eucalyptus since 2022, including about 19,100 added in the last year.
  • Inventory authors report a three to four year delay before satellites detect young plantings, cautioning that apparent growth may reflect pre-moratorium activity.
  • The 2021 rules permit planting where eucalyptus already existed, creating legal pathways for expansion within established stands.
  • Researchers identify 5,111 hectares of eucalyptus on non-forest parcels where this use is restricted by law, and 41,939 hectares in areas cut in 2024 that are regenerating.
  • Eucalyptus accounts for about 28% of Galicia as total forest area grew 1.4% year over year, with conifers at 446,897 hectares and broadleaves at 631,012.