Woody crops! What, where and how much?: spatial and economic analysis of potential in lower rainfall regions of southern Australia

Introduction The lower rainfall regions of southern Australia are subject to salinisation processes following the broadscale clearing of native vegetation and the development of cereal and livestock industries in the region. New commercial broadscale agroforestry industries, based on short-cycle perennial woody crops, are proposed to reduce recharge and salinity in these areas (Bartle et al. 2007, Bennell et al. 2007, Hobbs et al. 2007a). The choice and commercial viability of these potential industries is influenced by the current and future demand for products from woody biomass crops, industry infrastructure, plantation growth and product yield rates, enterprise establishment and maintenance costs, harvest technologies and costs, transport systems, and commodity prices.