A new Europe-wide body has been formed to promote the use of poplar.
Pro-Populus is backed by companies and poplar sector bodies in France, Belgium, Italy and Spain.
The new group includes growers , as well as processors and end users. Its aims are to “position poplar as a strategic raw material” and lobby and protect the interests of the sector.
It believes that the potential of poplar as a raw material and to generate co-products for the wood energy market is not sufficiently appreciated by politicians. As a result businesses growing and using the wood “too often meet with administrative barriers”. To remedy this Pro-populus plans to develop “close co-operation with the European Commission services and the European parliament”.
“Pro-populus members believe poplar has unique features that can help the European Union meet targets in such areas as raw material availability, climate change mitigation and development of renewable energy,” said a group statement.
The organisation, which is backed by the European timber association CEI-BOIS, drafting an action plan which will be put up for a vote of approval at a general assembly later this year.
For more information contact bmourlan@wanadoo.fr.
