Tree preservation in South Africa

AA Tree Felling / Boomslopings / Stump Grinding

Tree Felling, Boomslopings, Pretoria

Adansonia digitata – Boabab Tree

Forestry

The Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF) is the custodian of South Africa's forest resources, which cover over 40 million ha of the country's land surface area. An amount of R1,2 billion from the department's budget has been allocated to forestry and natural resources management. The forest sector employs around 165 900 workers and provides about 62 700 direct jobs and 30 000 indirect jobs. Forestry provides livelihood support to 652 000 people of the country's rural population. The pulp and paper industry provides about 13 200 direct and 11 000 indirect employment opportunities. Some 20 000 workers are employed in sawmilling, and 6 000 in the timber board and 2 200 in the mining timber industries, while a further 11 000 workers are employed in miscellaneous jobs in forestry. In terms of land use, the afforested area is about 1,27 million ha or about 1% of the total South African land area of 122,3 million ha. The forest sector (forestry and forest products) contributes about 1% to the GDP. In terms of regional GDP, forestry in KwaZulu-Natal contributes 4,4%; in Mpumalanga 3,7%; in the Eastern Cape 0,6%; and in Limpopo about 0,6%. The department is pursuing a target of 10 000 ha of nett new afforestation a year. The focus will remain on encouraging cooperatives, simplifying and streamlining the regulatory environment, training and extension, supporting the implementation of rural credit and offering incentives for new entrants. In terms of the economic growth and development that forestry offers, the DAFF is working closely with other government structures in the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal to fast-track the afforestation licensing process. In the Eastern Cape, funds have been secured to assist communities with the processes of environmental impact assessments – a prerequisite preceding any afforestation activity. Afforestation is taking place in rural areas where there are few other viable opportunities for job creation and economic activity. The development of these additional raw material resources will attract greater processing capacity in the form of sawmills, board mills, chipping plants and treatment plants, which will lead to broad economic growth. An additional R500 million a year could be generated from such plantations. The forestry programme also includes greening and tree-planting projects. The programme prioritises work on fire-fighting programmes such as the Working on Fire Programme and encourages the establishment of fire-protection associations (FPAs).

Legislation

The National Forests Act, 1998 (Act 84 of 1998), and the Forestry Laws Amendment Act, 2005 (Act 35 of 2005), reflect the vision for the future of forestry in South Africa. They emphasise sustainable forest management, and explain how people and communities can use forests without destroying them. The Acts set out rules for protecting indigenous forests, and ensure that the public has reasonable access to state-forest land for recreational, cultural, spiritual and educational purposes. South Africa is richly endowed with more than 1 700 tree and shrub species. Some are threatened, and 47 species are protected under the Act. Protected trees may not be cut; damaged, destroyed or possessed; collected; removed; transported; exported; purchased; sold; donated or in any other way acquired or disposed of except under a licence granted by the Minister or in terms of an exemption. In terms of the National Forests Act of 1998, all natural forests are protected. The National Veld and Forest Fire Act (NVFFA), 1998 (Act 101 of 1998), and the National Veld and Forest Fire Laws Amendment, 2001 (Act 12 of 2001), are the primary legislation regulating veldfire management in the country. The National Veld and Forest Fire Amendment Bill was published on 31 May 2013 for public comment. The purpose of these Acts is to prevent and combat veld, forest and mountain fires. The legislation provides a variety of institutions, methods and practices for achieving the purpose. The Acts place an individual duty on every landowner where there is a risk of fire to take certain minimum precautions to prevent and combat fires. It also introduces the concept of voluntary fire protection associations (FPAs), which may be formed by landowners for purposes of veldfire management in a specific area.

Industry and exports

The forestry industry was a nett exporter of over R2,2 billion worth of goods in 2012, of which more than 99% took the form of converted value-added products. The forest products industry ranks among the top exporting industries in the country, having contributed 1,92% to total exports and 1,4% to total imports in 2012. Capital investment in the industry amounted to an estimated R45 billion in 2011. The value of forest product exports grew by 23% over the past decade, from R11,2 billion in 2002 to R13,8 billion in 2012. In real terms, however (taking inflation into account), this growth was -28% over the period in question. Consequently, the nett trade balance in foreign trade in forest products decreased from 2002 by -62% in nominal terms (-78% in real terms) to R2,2 billion in 2012. In 2012, pulp products were the most important exports (R5 890 billion or 43% of the total), followed by paper (R4 707 billion or 34%), solid wood products (R2 680 billion or 19%) and other products (R555 million or 4%). Woodchip exports, mainly to Japan, accounted for 52% (R1 407 billion) of total solid-wood product exports. As with other export-based industries, the continuing unfavourable economic environment has had a negative impact on demand, particularly in Japan, which is still recovering from the damage caused to some of its pulp and paper mills by the tsunami that occurred in March 2012. As a result of this, exports of forest products from South Africa decreased in value by R1,2 billion or 7,7% from R15 billion in 2011 to R13,8 billion in 2012.
© AA Tree Felling / Boomslopings and Stump Grinding : Design
24 Hour Service Response
AA Tree Felling / Boomslopings Stump Grinding

Pretoria, Tshwane, Gauteng

AA Tree Felling, Boomslopings, Stump Grinding
24 Hour Service Response
AA Tree Felling Boomslopings Stump Grinding

Pretoria, Tshwane, Gauteng

Tree preservation in South Africa

AA Tree Felling / Boomslopings / Stump Grinding

Forestry

The Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF) is the custodian of South Africa's forest resources, which cover over 40 million ha of the country's land surface area. An amount of R1,2 billion from the department's budget has been allocated to forestry and natural resources management. The forest sector employs around 165 900 workers and provides about 62 700 direct jobs and 30 000 indirect jobs. Forestry provides livelihood support to 652 000 people of the country's rural population. The pulp and paper industry provides about 13 200 direct and 11 000 indirect employment opportunities. Some 20 000 workers are employed in sawmilling, and 6 000 in the timber board and 2 200 in the mining timber industries, while a further 11 000 workers are employed in miscellaneous jobs in forestry. In terms of land use, the afforested area is about 1,27 million ha or about 1% of the total South African land area of 122,3 million ha. The forest sector (forestry and forest products) contributes about 1% to the GDP. In terms of regional GDP, forestry in KwaZulu-Natal contributes 4,4%; in Mpumalanga 3,7%; in the Eastern Cape 0,6%; and in Limpopo about 0,6%. The department is pursuing a target of 10 000 ha of nett new afforestation a year. The focus will remain on encouraging cooperatives, simplifying and streamlining the regulatory environment, training and extension, supporting the implementation of rural credit and offering incentives for new entrants. In terms of the economic growth and development that forestry offers, the DAFF is working closely with other government structures in the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal to fast-track the afforestation licensing process. In the Eastern Cape, funds have been secured to assist communities with the processes of environmental impact assessments – a prerequisite preceding any afforestation activity. Afforestation is taking place in rural areas where there are few other viable opportunities for job creation and economic activity. The development of these additional raw material resources will attract greater processing capacity in the form of sawmills, board mills, chipping plants and treatment plants, which will lead to broad economic growth. An additional R500 million a year could be generated from such plantations. The forestry programme also includes greening and tree-planting projects. The programme prioritises work on fire-fighting programmes such as the Working on Fire Programme and encourages the establishment of fire-protection associations (FPAs).

Legislation

The National Forests Act, 1998 (Act 84 of 1998), and the Forestry Laws Amendment Act, 2005 (Act 35 of 2005), reflect the vision for the future of forestry in South Africa. They emphasise sustainable forest management, and explain how people and communities can use forests without destroying them. The Acts set out rules for protecting indigenous forests, and ensure that the public has reasonable access to state-forest land for recreational, cultural, spiritual and educational purposes. South Africa is richly endowed with more than 1 700 tree and shrub species. Some are threatened, and 47 species are protected under the Act. Protected trees may not be cut; damaged, destroyed or possessed; collected; removed; transported; exported; purchased; sold; donated or in any other way acquired or disposed of except under a licence granted by the Minister or in terms of an exemption. In terms of the National Forests Act of 1998, all natural forests are protected. The National Veld and Forest Fire Act (NVFFA), 1998 (Act 101 of 1998), and the National Veld and Forest Fire Laws Amendment, 2001 (Act 12 of 2001), are the primary legislation regulating veldfire management in the country. The National Veld and Forest Fire Amendment Bill was published on 31 May 2013 for public comment. The purpose of these Acts is to prevent and combat veld, forest and mountain fires. The legislation provides a variety of institutions, methods and practices for achieving the purpose. The Acts place an individual duty on every landowner where there is a risk of fire to take certain minimum precautions to prevent and combat fires. It also introduces the concept of voluntary fire protection associations (FPAs), which may be formed by landowners for purposes of veldfire management in a specific area.

Industry and exports

The forestry industry was a nett exporter of over R2,2 billion worth of goods in 2012, of which more than 99% took the form of converted value-added products. The forest products industry ranks among the top exporting industries in the country, having contributed 1,92% to total exports and 1,4% to total imports in 2012. Capital investment in the industry amounted to an estimated R45 billion in 2011. The value of forest product exports grew by 23% over the past decade, from R11,2 billion in 2002 to R13,8 billion in 2012. In real terms, however (taking inflation into account), this growth was -28% over the period in question. Consequently, the nett trade balance in foreign trade in forest products decreased from 2002 by -62% in nominal terms (-78% in real terms) to R2,2 billion in 2012. In 2012, pulp products were the most important exports (R5 890 billion or 43% of the total), followed by paper (R4 707 billion or 34%), solid wood products (R2 680 billion or 19%) and other products (R555 million or 4%). Woodchip exports, mainly to Japan, accounted for 52% (R1 407 billion) of total solid-wood product exports. As with other export-based industries, the continuing unfavourable economic environment has had a negative impact on demand, particularly in Japan, which is still recovering from the damage caused to some of its pulp and paper mills by the tsunami that occurred in March 2012. As a result of this, exports of forest products from South Africa decreased in value by R1,2 billion or 7,7% from R15 billion in 2011 to R13,8 billion in 2012.
© AA Tree Felling / Boomslopings and Stump Grinding : Design