What DEFORSA Needed:
Client wished to explore the possibility of establishing plantations of fast-growing eucalyptus in the U.S. South to support its tissue manufacturing and bio-energy businesses.
Our Role:
Develop and implement a land sourcing and acquisition strategy supporting a business model generating returns from planting and harvesting fast-growth eucalyptus.
What We Did:
- Worked with forest geneticists and university research facilities on genetically engineered, frost resistant eucalyptus species.
- Acquired land in northern Florida to perform trials of various eucalyptus species genetically modified for frost resistance.
- Recommended against planting and cultivating fast-rotation eucalyptus timber crops in the U.S.
Results:
- Client learned that fast-growing eucalyptus sub-species could not thrive in the U.S. Southeast
- Company avoided devoting additional capital to the concept and recommitted to focusing its operations in Latin America.