[CANUFNET] References for Ramial Chipped Wood \Bois Raméal Fragmenté

[Sean Cosgrove]

Hello, I have current references from francophone Europe on this subject, but is anyone in Canada using or studying this approach? Would love to know. 
Have you ever heard of Gilles Lemieux of Laval University and his research in the 80s and 90's on Ramial Chipped Wood? Bois Raméal Fragmenté ?  Ramial Chipped Wood (RCW) is hardwood chipped branches and twigs lay down as top mulch on a variety of landscapes at that, only every 3 years. There are claims that RCW can boost soil fertility and replace fossil fuel inputs (fertilizers and pesticides)[i]. There could be potentially be markets in horticulture, agriculture and silviculture. An introduction to RCW is "raw material consists of the twigs and branches of trees and woody shrubs, preferably deciduous, including small limbs up to 7 cm. in diameter. It is processed into small pieces (5-10cm) by chipping, and the resulting product has a relatively high ratio of cambium to cellulose compared to other chipped wood products. Thus, it is higher in nutrients and is an effective promoter of the growth of soil fungi and of soil-building in general." Wikipedia.
 
I got this from the Permaculture side. Peter Bane says that "Young growth on woody plants (up to about finger size) is very rich in enzymes, vitamins, minerals and other nutrients…with all species where this ramial wood (or what the English coppicers call brash) is cut and applied as mulch it breaks down into humus fairly rapidly. Rates of decay are of course influenced by moisture and the degree of soil contact but we should see woody plants as a prime source of fertilizer and mulch to maintain our garden farms and fields.[ii]" 




[i] Lemieux, Giles, Laval University. "Fundamentals of Forest Ecosystem Pedogenetics ", British Columbia Ministry of Forestry, Victoria, BC.
[ii] Bane, Peter, The Permaculture Handbook, New Society Publishers, Gabriola Island  BC, 2012, Pg. 314
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