ProPopulus Team Poplar trees constitute a fundamental part of the European landscape. Historic evidence shows that native poplars in the Po Valley were heavily exploited in Roman times. Nevertheless, it wasn’t until the late 18th Century that poplar groves became proper cultivation for the extraction of timber in Europe. Today, poplar plantations in Europe are…
Read MoreProPopulus Team Two Mediterranean countries, Italy and Spain, are at the forefront of using poplar for the construction industry in Europe. In Italy, the PoplyHouse system, that uses poplar plywood for the design and construction of entire buildings, as well as for housing structures, and interior and exterior designs, was awarded the 2021 Sustainability Award…
Read MoreProPopulus Team On October 21st and 22nd, the International Conference ‘Populus 360. Innovation, collaboration and challenges in the poplar sector’, will take place in Ponferrada Spain, with ProPopulus Chairman, Professor Joris Van Acker, as main speaker. The event is organized by the School of Agricultural and Forestry Engineering (EIAF) of the Universidad de León in…
Read MoreProPopulus Team The European Forest Institute (EFI) released a new study that compiles key research findings to answer 12 important questions about forests in the European Union. The publication gathers work from 28 researchers from EFI and its network, and the conclusions are available in two formats: a PDF short version, freely downloadable, and the…
Read MoreProPopulus Team In 2012 the United Nations declared 21 March as the International Day of Forests to celebrate and raise awareness of the importance of all types of forests. According to the UN, “forests cover one third of the Earth’s land mass, performing vital functions around the world. Around 1.6 billion people –including more than…
Read MoreProPopulus Team Almost 100,000 soccer fields. That is the area that has burned in Spain in the first seven months of 2019, according to data from the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. From January to July 14th, 48,821.97 hectares had burned in the Mediterranean country, and the summer, with heat waves causing fires even…
Read MoreProPopulus Team Given the steep decline of poplar plantations, not just in Spain, but in Europe, the timber industry in the EU faces a drastic drop in the supply of this raw material affecting the entire sector. In Andalusia, for example, “the situation is critical”, explains Antolino Gallego, University of Granada Professor and coordinator of…
Read MoreAlthough wood is no stranger to the construction industry, over the last century it has remained confined to residential and low-rise buildings. For more than a 100 years steel and concrete have been the main structural frame material for tall buildings, but slowly but steadily this appears to be changing as wooden tall building sprout…
Read MoreUnder the theme “Learn to Love Forests” the International Day of Forests will be celebrated on March 21st. The theme emphasizes the importance of forestry education at all levels to achieve the goal of sustainable forest management and biodiversity conservation. As we know, sustainably managed forests allow us to obtain wood-based products sourced from poplars…
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