The MWMC Biocycle Farm will be harvested in 2021 and replanted in 2022. The 2021 harvest will cover approximately 118 acres and 24,000 trees. Starting in 2026, Biocycle Farm harvests will regularly occur in two-year intervals of 50 to 75 acres.
Opportunities for Small and Large Operators
The Biocycle Farm’s flat, grid-aligned layout of uniformly sized and spaced trees presents opportunities for a broad range of logging operations, big and small. The Biocycle Farm is home to a variety of innovative approaches from modern processing equipment to horse logging outfits. Whatever your operation, there may be a perfect fit to make Biocycle Farm poplar harvests even more efficient for you, the MWMC, and the community.
Full Range of Farm and Forest Service Needs
The Biocycle Farm is an agricultural operation and needs services ranging from farming to forestry. After tree felling and clearing, stumps must be destroyed or treated to provide a clear site for replanting. Select stumps may be retained at nurseries to generate shoots for cuttings. Cuttings for replanting can be collected from fresh shoots, pruned branches from young trees, or provided from outside nurseries. Prior to planting, the field needs to regraded, treated to control weed growth, ripped, and tilled. Occasional lime or other treatments may be necessary to maintain soil characteristics.
Planting and Pruning
The next replanting will occur in 2022 after the 2021 harvest. Replanting may be staggered over 2022 and 2024 to begin establishing two-year harvest rotations. Tree planting is done with cuttings and whips ranging from 1 to 8 feet long. Planting is ideally done in March and April following each harvest. Starting in 2026, replanting may regularly occur every two years on 50 to 75 acres. Cuttings may be collected on site in January and February from fresh growths while trees are still in winter dormancy. Cold storage facilities are needed to hold cuttings until they’re ready to plant.
Once cuttings are planted, Biocycle Farm operators will ensure the trees are properly watered, but replanting may be necessary to ensure full plantation establishment. Ongoing care over the first one to four years is critical to prune trees for proper growth. Cutting collection and pruning may be done by Biocycle Farm staff or by contractors.
Get Engaged
To learn more about the upcoming poplar harvest and to add your name to a list of potentially interested loggers or planters, email Todd Miller, City of Springfield Environmental Services Supervisor, at tmiller@springfield-or.gov.
