Growing Super Trees for the Future

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Bosisto’s has an ambitious project to dramatically increase eucalyptus oil production in Australia through a large scale agricultural expansion.

As a uniquely Australian product and Australia’s first indigenous export, eucalyptus oil has a variety of personal and household uses – from killing germs, to a natural antiseptic, powerful cleaner and freshener. Its popularity continues to grow as more people embrace the benefits of natural products.

Bosisto’s Eucalyptus Oil contains Blue Mallee (Eucalyptus Polybractea) grown and harvested around around Inglewood and Glenalbyn, near Bendigo Victoria. . As a renewable resource, the trees are harvested every two years and some areas have been continually harvested since 1898.

Keeping up with demand

However, Australia is no longer the main worldwide producer of eucalyptus oil and the majority is produced off-shore. Bosisto’s has formed a strong partnership over the past 20 years with the  Botany Department of the University of Melbourne and created a joint venture program to increase the blue mallee oil yield.

The project has relied on collecting, growing and seeding high yielding trees through the development of seed orchards then establishing plantations for the production of eucalyptus oil.. The objective, to increase the eucalyptus oil yield, means we can substantially increase local production for today to ensure wide-scale production will once more see Australia as a leading worldwide producer.

 

Success so far

The first plantings for Bosisto’s eucalyptus plantations began in 2012 and now over 4.5 million trees have been planted to date. It’s a new beginning and a new hope for our once-great industry, a part of the history of every Australian.

This project ensures significant advantages for local production

  1. A higher oil yield
  2. High pharmaceutical quality oil
  3. Ability to mechanically harvest to enhance production efficiency

    Environmental impact

     

    Eucalyptus oil harvesting is a sustainable process. Growing the trees is an organic process in that no pesticides or chemicals are used; just the natural elements of the sun, soil and rain. The eucalypts grow to approximately 1-2 metres in height and are harvested every two years. Blue Mallees are “evergreen” which means they grow back after harvesting – a naturally renewable resource.

    Bosisto’s plantations are established on previously marginal farming land (land with little agricultural value, but perfect for the hardy eucalypt) and is actually replanting native trees that are local to the area and were originally cleared. The deep and extensive roots of the trees capture carbon and reduce salinity in the soil.

    Even the waste products from harvesting are recycled - biomass is converted into biofuel or used as a natural garden mulch. For the community, the plantations can provide further employment and an economic return for marginal land.

    Big future

    As a leader in eucalyptus oil production, Bosisto’s looks forward to Australia again being a leading worldwide producer.

     

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