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SUSTAINABLE
FOREST DEVELOPMENT IN SOUTH AFRICA
THE POLICY
OF THE
GOVERNMENT OF NATIONAL
UNITY
WHITE PAPER
MINISTRY OF WATER AFFAIRS AND FORESTRY,
PRETORIA, SOUTH AFRICA
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1.
THE BACKGROUND TO A NEW FOREST POLICY
1.1
The scope of forest policy in South Africa
1.2 The role of forestry in the RDP
1.3 The process of developing policy for the forest sector in South Africa
1.4 The issues facing the forest sector in South Africa
1.4.1 The state of natural forest and woodland resources in South Africa today
1.4.2 The forestry sector and rural communities
1.4.3 Rural energy requirements
1.4.5 Land claims in forestry areas
1.4.7 Industrial forestry and its contribution to the country's economy
1.4.8 Industries based on wood
1.4.9 Meeting the country's need for industrial wood
1.4.10 Sustainability of industrial forests
1.4.11 Forestry and water supplies
1.4.12 Industrial forestry and the conservation of biodiversity
1.4.13 Forestry and land-use planning in South Africa
1.4.14 International conventions and concerns
1.4.15 Government involvement in forestry in South Africa
2.
THE NEW FOREST POLICY
2.1
Principles
2.3 The forest policy in relation to natural resources management in South Africa
2.5 The policy for industrial forestry
2.6 The policy for community forestry
2.7 Conserving natural forests and woodlands
2.8 Global concerns for sustainable forest development
2.9 South Africa in the Southern African Development Community
2.10
Bilateral international relations in forestry
3.
TAKING POLICY INTO PRACTICE
3.1
Formulation of a new law
3.2 Prerequisites for applying policy
3.2.1 The role of central government
3.2.2 SAFCOL: the role of government in industrial forestry
3.2.3 Managing the transition of forest resources of the former homelands
3.2.4 The role of provincial government
3.2.5 The role of local government
3.2.6 The role of the private sector
3.3 Strategy and action planning
3.5 Research, technology, and innovation
PREFACE
This White Paper on Forest Policy is the second such document produced by
my Department. As with its predecessor, the White Paper on Water Supply &
Sanitation Policy, it is intended to provide the Forestry Industry and the
general public with a clear view of the policy which the new Administration
intends to adopt. In keeping however with our expressed intention to ensure open
and transparent debate, comment and criticism on the contents of this document
are welcomed. Policy is not holy writ. It can and will be modified when a clear
need to do so is shown to be in the national interest.
The policy directions which you will read clearly break with the
narrow and rather parochial concerns of the past. Our new Government is
concerned with far wider issues that impact on the lives and wellbeing of
all of our people, and new forestry policy must reflect these
concerns.
We of course cover the direct and immediate policy requirements
of historical and traditional forestry and the industries which it has spawned,
as will be apparent from the Table of Contents. We also, however, cover another
sector hitherto largely neglected.
Forestry in South Africa, and everywhere else where it is
consciously practised, has at least two main streams of endeavour. The older of
these is the protection of the natural forest resource, it being clearly
recognised as being a part of the natural heritage. Out of this has grown the
science of commercial forestry to feed the voracious appetite of the world's
growing populations for wood as a raw material. We are surrounded by wood from
the cradle to the grave. Timber and paper are irreplaceable in our
lives.
There is a third stream in South Africa, at present weak and
seeking its optimum flow-path, but of major importance in South Africa's proper
and harmonious development. It is the new stream of community forestry and
agroforestry, supplementing commercial forestry by endeavours nearer to the
people's needs. It aims to improve the living conditions of all our people
through projects such as school nurseries, urban and peri-urban tree plantings,
individual fruit and shade tree plantings and transporting surplus wood to needy
areas.
It is common cause that the most deprived sections of our people
are those in rural areas. They have little or no land, little or no fuel, little
or no income, and struggle daily with the burden of poverty. Forestry is rurally
based and there is a natural link between it and the rural population. It can
provide employment, building materials, fuel and craft materials. It can provide
opportunity and hope and can add dignity to the environment.
This is the broad aim of the policy outlined in this White
Paper to weld together the three strains of Indigenous Forest Management,
commercial forestry and community forestry.
The overall goal of Government is to promote a thriving forest sector, utilised to the lasting and sustained benefit of the total community, and developed and managed to protect and to improve the environment. There are also important over-riding concerns which are addressed. We believe that, regardless of the ownership of the forest land, be it state or private or communal, we must move towards fostering a spirit of stewardship of this for the nation and for posterity. We are dealing with an asset that brings with ownership wider responsibilities than the narrow objectives that have been routinely accepted. Inherent in this philosophy of stewardship is the concept of sustainability which is a recurring theme in this paper. Sustainability is of course the essential norm for all of the broad spectrum of endeavours that are part of forestry. There should no longer be exploitation of any of our assets, human or material, for an ephemeral advantage which ignores the future.
My Department has no formal jurisdiction over many of these
matters, but it does, by Act of Parliament, have a clear responsibility to
ensure the wellbeing of the forest industry. We interpret this to include
the wider reaches of that industry which are covered in this document. That is
the background against which it is presented.
The policy will be applied and monitored by a newly
reconstituted Department of Water Affairs and Forestry. The amalgamation of all
water and forestry related activities and personnel of the eleven old
"homelands" under the national administration will effectively treble the size
of the Department. Because of this and the new and different functions which it
will have to undertake to satisfy the new policy directions of water affairs,
sanitation and forestry and the necessity that these should be integrated into
the Reconstruction and Development Programme, a new institutional framework is
being developed. This transformation will take some time but I am confident that
the new Department will achieve our policy objectives within a reasonable
period.
This White Paper is based to a very considerable degree on the
extensive consultation process, beginning with the preparations for the National
Forest Conference which I convened over a year ago. Many people from all sectors
of the wider forestry industry have contributed to the debate. I must express my
deep gratitude to them all, and especially to the small core of dedicated
officials and individuals who have produced the documents which have reached the
public. They have made my task easier and indeed more comfortable in that I am
secure in the knowledge that most major concerns of all who have an interest in
our industry have been addressed.
Prof. Kader Asmal, MP, Minister of
Water Affairs and Forestry
FOREST POLICY
1.1
The scope of forest policy in South Africa
Contrary to the traditional view of forestry as the science of
managing forested land, forestry today is about the relationships between people
and the resources provided by the forest. It includes the use and husbandry of
the wood, fruits and other products that come from trees, as well as the
wildlife that dwell in the forest. Other factors of importance are the
environmental, aesthetic and cultural values of forests and woodlands.
A forest policy must therefore deal with the scope of these
relationships between people and forest resources. It cannot be confined
narrowly to matters relating to forest industries, or to a restricted concept of
a forest. World forest policies, such as those contained in the Forestry
Principles of Agenda 21 (a comprehensive global programme for sustainable
development arising from the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro in June 1992), refer
to "forests of all kinds". Government policy in South Africa is formulated to
include "forests of all kinds", that is, the indigenous forests, where trees
grow with their crowns virtually intertwined, natural woodlands, where tree
cover may be as little as 10%, plantation, and community forests. This accords
with the Food and Agriculture Organisation's (FAO) definition of
forests.
Consequently, the forest policy for this country addresses all components of the forest sector, i.e. indigenous forests and woodlands, industrial forestry and community forestry. The text distinguishes between these where required. This is a change from the past which has significant implications. This is made clear later in Section 3.
This forest policy defines the role of Government in dealing
with the forest sector. It is set within a frame of overarching policies,
including macroeconomic, trade, industrial development, and human resources
development policies. These may have a major effect on the forest sector through
their influence on wood prices, for example. The forest policy directs,
facilitates, and regulates the actions of players in the forest sector, but it
must do so taking into account the influence of the other policies mentioned
above. It addresses the need to adapt and strengthen the central government
institution in forestry, in order to ensure effective implementation of
policy.
1.2 The role of
forestry in the RDP
The RDP is a political framework for integrated and coherent
socioeconomic progress. It seeks to mobilise all South Africans and the
country's resources toward creating sustainable growth and opportunities for
all.
The Department of Water Affairs and Forestry has already
redirected its programmes toward RDP goals. This includes the new community
forestry programme, for example.
Rural development is one of the main objectives of the RDP.
Successful rural development will be achieved through cooperation between rural
people, their local government, and many provincial and national agencies. The
RDP strategy is based on a multisectoral approach to rural development, aimed at
local economic development, in which rural people set the agenda.
The role of Government is twofold. It must:
· create a facilitative environment for local economic
development, that will encourage rural people to develop entrepreneurial skills
and promote appropriate markets that will implement local economic
development.
The RDP strategy identifies the forest sector as an important
element of local natural resources development that can contribute to creating
better living environments and economic opportunity. Plantation forestry and
local valueadding industries would have a place in local development
programmes in many rural districts in the Western Cape, Eastern Cape,
KwaZuluNatal, Mpumalanga, and Northern Provinces. Throughout South Africa,
better management practices for the sustainable development of indigenous
forests and woodlands could create income earning opportunities. Sustainable
wood supplies need to be part of integrated energy programmes to address the
historic shortfall in energy supplies to rural households. This can be done
through community forestry programmes, the redistribution of surplus wood from
industrial forests, the management of harvesting from natural woodlands, and
improved efficiency in wood use.
1.3 The process of developing policy for the forest sector in South
Africa
The Department initiated a process to develop appropriate policy
for forestry soon after the establishment of the Government of National Unity.
This resulted in the National Forest Policy Conference at the World Trade
Centre, Kempton Park, on 2 and 3 March 1995. Before this, a representative
organising committee developed a discussion paper and conference process
designed to elicit broad participation, identify areas of common ground, and
highlight policy issues. The conference involved 330 people, from all interest
groups, and included a contingent of about 60 people from rural communities
across the country. These representatives were supported through preparatory
meetings to enable them to participate effectively in the main conference. A
representative editorial group used the information from the debates at this
conference, the conference report, and further material to compile a discussion
document, Towards a policy for sustainable forest management in South Africa
a discussion paper issued by the Department in July 1995. The
Department received comments on the paper from 68 parties. Then followed the
conference on the Greening of South Africa held on 19 and 20 October 1995,
organised by women for women and involving 365 delegates. All of these processes
have provided opinions, ideas, and information as a basis for the White
Paper.
1.4 The issues
facing the forest sector in South Africa
1.4.1
The state of natural forest and woodland resources in South Africa
today
Natural forests South Africa has never been
rich in natural forests. Climate and the ageold effect of fires have
confined natural forests to about 327 600 ha, 0.2% of South Africa's land area.
Natural forests have been depleted over the past three centuries. Nevertheless,
much of the natural forest has survived, though currently there are reports
of renewed forest destruction in some parts of the country.
Most natural forest occurs in the Eastern Cape (about
140 000 ha) and in KwaZuluNatal (about 91 200 ha). This
is followed by the Western Cape (about 60 000 ha) and the Northern
Province and Mpumalanga (about 35 000 ha each). These forests are
mostly small and scattered. In the former Transkei, no forests are larger than
1 800 ha; the forests in the mountains are all smaller than
700 ha. Large forests occur only in the Knysna region, in the Amatolas and
at Woodbush.
Most of these forest areas are owned by the State (although the
status of the forests formerly administered in the homeland "governments" needs
to be clarified). Only in KwaZuluNatal is a substantial portion of natural
forest in private ownership. Here, the removal of indigenous trees along streams
on commercial farms has had widespread negative effects for arable
agriculture.
Woodlands Vast areas of woodlands occur in the
semiarid to subhumid parts of the country. The mapped area of these
woodlands amounts to about 28 000 000 ha, but they have been depleted
and the current actual area would be significantly less than this. The National
Land Cover project which the CSIR and the Agricultural Research Council are
conducting will provide an estimate of their current extent within the next
year.
There has been a reduction in tree cover in much of this
woodland over the past several centuries. In some parts, this reduction has been
beneficial, such as where sustainable agricultural systems have been
established. Generally, this is acceptable where woodland utilisation and
conversion have contributed to improved welfare in the long term.
Elsewhere, woodlands have been replaced by unsustainable forms
of land use, or destroyed in the overall degradation of the environment. In some
former homelands districts, over half the woodland environment has been degraded
or destroyed through the pressures of the apartheid resettlement programmes, and
unsustainable agricultural development. In some commercial areas degradation has
also followed tree removal for arable farming. Deforestation has also occurred
through local overharvesting of fuelwood. In this case, use of the woodland
resources has not led to improved welfare.
The state of woodland resources, and the factors influencing it,
is complex and unclear. It requires urgent investigation in the interests of the
country, with a view to establishing the basis for sensitive, sustainable
management.
The role of natural forests and woodlands in rural areas Rural people use natural forests and especially woodlands for many
purposes. These include:
The economic value of forests, and especially of woodlands, to
communities often equates to a significant proportion of the income of rural
households. This value has seldom been recognised in South Africa. Aside from
direct economic benefits, sound woodland ecosystems provide many environmental
benefits, such as the protection of soils and of water catchments. However,
given the uneven distribution of our population, these benefits are often
underutilised.
Management of woodland and forest resources on communal
land Most woodlands in the rural areas of the former
homelands are communal resources. Under the old Bantu Laws and Administration
Act, the use and management of natural woodland resources were assigned to
Tribal Authorities, although some national regulations took precedence over the
Tribal Authority.
Despite the traditional control of harvesting of natural
products, woodlands have been over utilised in many areas. In much of
KwaZuluNatal the controls on cutting live trees have lapsed and some
large forests have disappeared as a result.
However, some communities have demarcated and proclaimed
resource management areas for sustainable resource management to the benefit of
the community as a whole. Pilot projects are in progress in the former
Bophuthatswana, KaNgwane and KwaZulu.
Conservation of natural forests and woodlands Much
of the information on the conservation status of forests and woodlands is
outdated. There is concern about loss of protected forests, and about the lack
of adequate management systems to support the interests of local communities, as
well as to protect our national assets. A factual basis for evaluating the
situation is urgently needed. This should clarify the state of forest and
woodlands on State Forests (i.e. protected areas proclaimed in terms of the
Forest Act), other protected areas, and areas outside of these. It should
provide information on current management of the resources, the stakeholding
which neighbouring communities have implemented, the extent of legal and illegal
use of woodlands and forests, and the level of degradation of the resource. This
factual basis must be used to design a strategy to rectify the situation
wherever necessary.
1.4.2 The forestry sector and rural communities
All South Africans have a stake in forestry, but the people most
involved are rural people and the workers in the forest industry.
Rural profile About 40% of South Africans live in
the countryside and in rural towns and villages. They include most of the poor
and very poor, most being women and children. Women between the age of 16 and 65
outnumber men by 30% to 40%, many men being absent, for example, to work in
urban areas. Women are especially important among the rural people, since they
are often the effective heads of households in the countryside, and bear the
major burden for maintaining the wellbeing of the family. They live in
households of which the majority do not have access to basic services. Most
rural households have no tap water in or near their homes, nor
electricity.
Rural unemployment is high, exceeding 50% in the Northern
Province and the Eastern Cape. There are disproportionately high levels of
unemployment for women especially.
Rural issues to be addressed Rural areas have a
history of restricted resources, forced settlement, lack of democratic control
of development, poor education and inadequate protection of labour rights. These
are the issues to be addressed through rural development in the RDP.
Forestry has an important contribution to make to integrated rural
development. Furthermore, the Government recognises that traditional leaders
have played a role in tenurial arrangements for, and other relevant aspects of,
resource use. It will be sensitive to this role and consider these arrangements
when developing programmes for community forestry and forest and woodland
management.
1.4.3 Rural energy requirements
Onethird of households in South Africa is estimated to rely
on wood for fuel. Many other households use a range of fuels, of which wood is
one. In some regions, up to 80% of rural households use wood for energy in the
home, with or without other fuels. Women in these households often walk long
distances to fetch firewood. The average time spent this way is estimated
conservatively at five hours per household per week. Between 9 and 11 million
tons of wood are used for fuel per year, of which about 6.6 million tons are
estimated to be harvested from natural woodlands. The amount of wood consumed
for household needs nearly equals that used in the formal forest industry, which
provides sales of about R1 billion per year.
Despite the current, massive household electrification
programme, estimates indicate that 1,5 million households will still be without
electricity 20 years from now. Even households with electricity use wood for
heating. In the mean time, sources of wood will continue to be depleted.
The situation regarding fuelwood for rural energy has recently
been investigated through the Biomass Initiative, involving Government, NGOs and
other institutions. This has provided a first approximation of the use of wood
in the rural energy mix, the fuel needs
of rural households, markets for woodfuel, and the state of
woodlands in the relevant districts.
It has produced the outline of a strategy for meeting woodfuel
needs which has now been passed on to the Department of Water Affairs and
Forestry.
The forest and forest products industry is a major employer and
of great importance to the South African labour market. It is estimated that
about 200 000 to 260 000 people are employed in the forest and wood
processing industries; more accurate statistics are needed. About 80 000 to 100
000 are forestry workers, of whom nearly 80% are in the Mpumalanga and
KwaZuluNatal Provinces. An estimated 120 000 people are employed in
those industries which use wood as a primary input. About 40% of these are
employed in sawmilling, 30% in pulp and paper manufacturing, and the balance in
secondary processing. In addition, there are those employed by the smaller
primary converters such as in making poles, matches and charcoal.
Labour distribution Labour intensity varies
greatly in the processing sectors. Sawmilling employs about one worker for every
80 m3 processed; in pulp and paper, the ratio is one worker for
every 250 m3. Pulpwood and mining timber plantations employ fewer
people per hectare than sawlog plantations.
Labour intensity in the forestry and forest products sector will
change significantly over time. For example, if proportionately more land is
used for pulpwood production, overall labour intensity will decline, both in the
forests and in the processing plants. On the other hand, a move to higher
valueaddition within South Africa, for example through highvalue
sawlog production, and processing and marketing of quality solidwood
products from this resource, could contribute to higher and more rewarding
employment. The choice of appropriate policy would strongly influence this
picture.
Employment conditions Employment conditions in the
sector vary considerably. Workers generally enjoy better conditions than their
counterparts in agriculture, but they are not as good as in manufacturing.
Employees in large companies enjoy better benefits than those in small
companies. The average wage rates in 1994 for forest workers in the large
companies ranged from R570 to R2 400 per month. Unskilled workers in these
firms earned R570 to R600 per month and semiskilled earned R880 to R920.
Skilled workers earned R2 200 to R2 400, but only 5% fell into this
category.
In addition to the cash wage, most of the large companies also
provide a range of benefits including pensions, housing, subsidised meals,
medical facilities and schooling. The Forest Owners' Association estimates the
costs to the employers of providing these benefits at about R250 per worker per
month. Few small employers, including subcontractors, provide these
benefits.
No accurate statistics are available for employees of small
growers and forestry contractors. Trade union members report that in some areas
wages are as low as R200 per month. On average, the small employers probably pay
50% to 70% of the wages paid by the large companies. The South African
Agriculture, Plantation and Allied Workers' Union (SAAPAWU) maintains that no
employee in the sector should earn less than R750 per month before benefits, to
ensure a reasonable minimum standard of living.
Other employment conditions such as training also vary from one
employer to the next.
Occupational health and safety Forestry is often a
dangerous occupation. Since many tasks are performed outdoors, workers
frequently experience difficult working conditions. Working in forestry also
involves exposure to the hazards of mechanical equipment and pesticides and
chemicals. Working in the processing plants involves exposure to cutting
equipment, heavy machinery, dust and often hazardous chemicals. Management of
safety in working environments is therefore a special need in this sector.
All forestry companies are legally required to comply with the
Occupational Safety and Health Act, and all major companies participate in the
NOSA programme. Safety standards have steadily improved in many companies.
However, NOSA standards are not fully acceptable to the trade unions. There is a
long way to go to ensure uniform minimum health and safety standards in the
forests and the wood processing industries.
Trade union rights There is also an uneven
application of trade union rights. Some employers have recognised trade
unions for many years, and others since legislation has included forest
workers. Among some, however, there is still a reluctance to accept trade union
and other workers' rights.
Forestry contractors There has been a strong
trend in recent years towards using contractors in forestry operations. This
includes transport, planting and harvesting, although each company differs
in the work that it subcontracts. More than 15 000 people are estimated to
be employed by forestry contractors, according to the SA Forestry Contractors'
Association.
The quality of services provided by contractors varies.
Problems have been experienced by both forestry companies and workers,
including:
Initiatives to address these problems include:
The major companies have developed comprehensive policies
for managing their relationships with contractors.
Contractors tend to employ labourintensive methods. The
trend for contracting has probably helped to maintain employment levels in
the industry.
Contractors also offer an important avenue for creation of new
black enterprises in rural areas, of which some have become established. The
promotion of small business is an important part of South Africa's national
economic strategy. On the other hand, however, satisfactory working
conditions and human resource management must be achieved if these businesses
are to be sustainable. Fostering new enterprises is a Government priority, but
there is a concern that this may affect the position of trade unions in
collective bargaining. Government will need to investigate the issue to
establish the necessary requirements.
1.4.5 Land claims in forestry areas
Many forestry operations are on land where people were displaced
in the past. Claims for restitution of land rights are to be dealt with through
the mechanisms of the Restitution of Land Rights Act of 1993. The Act stipulates
that people who lost their land rights because of a racially discriminatory law
shall be entitled to restitution of the land they lost, or receive appropriate
compensation. Certain areas of State Forest land, State land in
SAFCOL's hands, as well as privately owned
land, are likely to become subject to restitution
claims.
Other claims, such as of ownership or security of tenure by labour tenants where their prior rights have been jeopardised by sale of the land to a forestry company (for example, in Mpumalanga), or claims of need arising from land shortages and lack of alternatives (e.g. land invasion and high population density of newcomers or squatters on forestry land), are not addressed through the restitution process. Prompted by pressure from labour tenants,
various forestry companies have negotiated with these
claimants and the negotiations have led to innovative solutions, accommodating
the interests of both sides.
The Department recognises the urgency of the land reform
programme and will therefore facilitate restitution of land rights wherever
possible. Where land claims are lodged against State land the Department will
cooperate with the Minister of Land Affairs to examine whether restoration is
feasible, and will assist to achieve speedy resolution of claims.
Community forestry is forestry designed and applied to meet
local social, household, and environmental needs and to favour local economic
development. It is implemented by communities or with the participation of
communities. It includes farm forestry, agroforestry, community or village
planting, woodlots and woodland management by rural people, as well as
treeplanting in urban and periurban areas.
The state of community forestry in South Africa
Community forestry has been neglected in South Africa in the past. Government
focused on woodlots for fuel and construction. Commercial farm forestry, in the
form of farm windrows, shelter belts, and woodlots, has proved quite successful,
and no longer need much support. Community forestry among African people has had
little success, perhaps only in some parts of the Eastern Cape, where woodlot
establishment around indigenous forests has helped to conserve the natural
resource, and in scattered cases where woodlots have been incorporated into the
local resourceuse system. Generally, the lack of adequate community
forestry programmes is reflected in, amongst other things, the pervasive
shortfalls between fuelwood demand and fuelwood production, the severe
degradation of woodlands in many districts, as well as local destruction of
natural forests, and the fact that few communities have been able to build
treegrowing into their local development initiatives. This overall failure
reflects the past lack of recognition of the value of natural and plantation
forest resources to rural households, in economic, environmental, and social
terms. There has been an absence of sound policy that recognised local needs, as
well as a suitable supporting institutional framework.
Lately, community forestry has gained impetus through changes in
the programmes of the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry, the Biomass
Initiative and others. In implementing these programmes, it has been realised
that many initiatives are difficult to sustain, in common with experience
elsewhere in the world. It therefore requires ongoing governmental
support.
Greening Conference The recent Conference on the
Greening of South Africa affirmed the need for effective community forestry
programmes, and that women can play a central role in such programmes. Delegates
emphasised the fact that programmes must be locally based, and that local
communities should be supported to develop the capacity to influence and control
projects and programmes. They emphasised that women needed the institutional
framework that would allow them to assert their influence, and that direct
access to appropriate information in useful forms was a central part of the
support needed. Recognising the need for decentralised influence on policies and
plans, the conference recommended the formation of women's representative
structures at Provincial level, as well as various individuals to bring
influence to bear on policy and its implementation at national and Provincial
levels.
1.4.7 Industrial forestry and its contribution to the country's economy
Industrial forestry in South Africa encompasses the large
planted forests (established to supply raw materials to satisfy mining,
construction, and industrial markets) which supply the pulpmills, sawmills and
factories which process the raw materials.
Wood is a key raw material to which value is added in many
industries in our economy, for example in mining; construction of houses and
commercial buildings; poles for electricity distribution and telecommunications;
furniture manufacture; pulp and paper manufacture; and energy
production.
South Africa's demand for wood is met predominantly from
industrial forest plantations, and not from natural sources or through imports
for the following reasons:
The growth of industrial forest plantations
Although industrial forestry began in the last quarter of the nineteenth century
with government projects, the main investment has been by the private
sector. The largest part of this industry has proved to be highly
profitable in the use of natural resources, although it comes at an
environmental and social cost, especially if, as with other forms of
development, land conversion is involved.
By 1994, industrial forests had grown to about 1,45 million
hectares. Of the planted areas, 56% was pines, 32% was eucalyptus and 11% was
wattle. About 2 800 ha of small plantations of poplar, mostly owned by
commercial farmers, supplied wood for matches. Most plantations are located
where climatic conditions are suitable for afforestation in the Northern,
Mpumalanga, KwaZuluNatal, Eastern Cape, and Western Cape Provinces, with
the largest plantation areas in Mpumalanga (624 000 ha) and
KwaZuluNatal (532 000 ha). Assessments by the Department of Water
Affairs and Forestry indicate that most land suitable for further afforestation
is located in KwaZuluNatal, Mpumalanga, and the Eastern Cape. The
area currently afforested amounts to a significant fraction of the total area
that could be biologically suitable for forestry.
New afforestation has increased the total area of plantation by
about 17 000 ha per year recently. This has been supported by past Government
policy to expand the plantations, and by the need for wood for the pulp and
paper sector. New afforestation has slowed down, however, with very few permits
having been issued in the last year.
Potential productivity of these forests is relatively high by
world standards, averaging about 20 m3 per ha per annum. They
currently yield about 18,5 to 19 million m3 of wood per year, which
satisfies over 90% of domestic demand and provides for a surplus for export,
largely as pulp, paper, wood chips and other products. The average realised
yield of about 13 m3 per ha per annum is lower than average potential
productivity, because many plantations are still young, and about 7 to 8% of
plantation land is temporarily unplanted. Neglect of some industrial forests,
such as in the former homelands, also contributes to poor realised
yields.
Estimates by the Forest Owners' Association for 1994 indicated
that the value of annual sales of roundwood from the plantations exceeds
R1 billion. The land and the timber was valued at more than
R8 billion.
The relative roles of large companies and farmers in industrial
forestry Currently, 77% of plantations are owned by large
companies and SAFCOL, the recently established State company (see Table 1). The
plantations in the former homelands, owned by the State, amount to about 12% of
the total.
Table 1. Estimated extent of industrial forests in South Africa,
as in 1993/94.
Ownership |
Total (ha) |
Government (former homelands) |
172 000 |
SAFCOL |
263 000 |
Large companies in the private sector |
703 000 |
Commercial farmers and other private individuals |
308 000 |
Total |
1 446 000 |
Although ownership is dominated by SAFCOL and the large
companies, there are many farmers who participate in forestry. Of these farmers,
1 050 are growers registered with the South African Timber Growers'
Association (SATGA), who now own about 200 000 ha. Their numbers and their share
of the planted area have declined recently because of land purchases by
larger companies. Many black farmers (about 4 000 in KwaZuluNatal alone)
have entered forestry, largely under contract to the big companies. Most of
these farmers are dependent on these companies and are not able to operate
freely in a competitive market.
Roundwood prices Prices of roundwood in South
Africa have increased sharply recently, but are still much lower than world
prices (up to about 40% less). This reflects the past influence of low prices
set in longterm sawlog contracts, and the dominance of the market by a few
large buyers who are vertically integrated. Currently, market protection does
not play a role. Factors governing prices need to be investigated to enable the
development of appropriate policies.
The rural development and agricultural policies of the country
are intended to broaden access to farming opportunities and diversify farm sizes
in South Africa. Attractive prices for roundwood will tend to draw more farmers
into forestry. These trends could favour a diversification in ownership of the
industrial forest holdings, and greater participation by small farmers, a trend
which the Government would welcome.
Opportunities offered by multipleuse forestry
Multipleuse forestry is practised on many plantation forests, where
forestland is used for purposes other than wood supply. These include, for
example,
Multipleuse forestry offers significant opportunity to
realise greater value from the land, and increase local economic
development.
Neighbouring communities do not often have access to these
opportunities. On the other hand, progressive companies have shown how multiple
use involving neighbouring communities can benefit both parties. There is
potential for much wider sharing of opportunities in this way.
Finally, industrial forestry is based on exotic trees, which
confines it to limited climatic zones. Indigenous trees offer an alternative for
many purposes, in a wider range of localities. The Department will promote the
investigation of the better use of indigenous trees.
1.4.8 Industries based on wood
Contribution of forest products to the economy The
forest products industries, i.e. all those industries using wood and wood
products as raw material, constitute a significant part of the South African
economy, contributing about 7,4% to the output of the country's manufacturing
sector in 1993/94.
They earned about R1,28 billion in net foreign exchange from
total export earnings of about R3,6 billion in 1994/95. Their relative
contribution to the economy has grown steadily in the past 20 years. The
many jobs involved in these industries mean that over one million mainly rural
people depend on this industry directly.
This sector currently consumes about 19 million m3 of
wood a year (in 1993/1994), about 43% of which is hardwood and the rest,
softwood. Sixty percent of this is consumed in pulp manufacture, 23% in sawn
timber, and about 12% in mining timber. Pulp consumption is growing at about 3%
per year, and saw timber at 2%, but mining timber consumption is declining.
Investments in the forest products industry are valued at about R12,0 billion,
of which 90% is in pulp and paper mills.
Exports Most pulpwood (more than 60%) is destined
for export, as chips and dissolving pulp, paper pulp, and newsprint. Of the
total roundwood consumed, about 35% was destined for export in 1992. In 1994,
pulp, paper and board contributed R1,5 billion in net foreign exchange earnings,
and timber and wood chips amount to R707 million. By volume of roundwood
equivalent, chips, pulp and paper represented 600 000 m3 and sawn
timber, 400 000 m3.
Success of the pulp and paper sector The pulp and
paper sector has proved especially successful since it is internationally
competitive. This is because the companies employed modern technology and
improved continually, both in the plantations and in the manufacturing process,
and moved quickly to an exportled strategy when production exceeded
domestic demand. Because of the export orientation of the pulp and paper sector,
it is especially sensitive to macroeconomic and trade
policies.
Forest products industries and the environment The
forest products industries have environmental impacts which must be recognised
and managed. In sawmills and mining timber mills, wood waste is often
problematic and needs to be minimised, largely through improved processing and
utilisation. Atmospheric emissions can be problematic, though only locally, and
much reduced in recent years. Wood preservative chemicals need careful control
and management. The organised preservative industry is now implementing a new
SABS code of practice to this end. However, since most wood is processed in pulp
and paper manufacture, and because this involves large volumes of water,
significant amounts of various chemicals, and large volumes of lignin-based
emissions, it is this part of the industry where the meeting of environmental
standards is most important.
Pulp and paper mills generate waste and water- and airborne
emissions which are environmentally harmful and often offensive to neighbouring
people. South African mills have progressively improved their environmental
management and introduced innovative processes to reduce waste and emissions.
Continued improvement of environmental management will be needed to meet
statutory standards, and similar demands from buyers on the international
market. They are regulated through the Water Act and the Air Pollution Act, and
in some measure through the Environmental Conservation Act. The stringency with
which these Acts is applied will need to increase to protect the environment,
meet the expectations of the South African public, and to assist firms trading
internationally.
Decline of the sawmilling sector By contrast to
the pulp and paper industry, the sawmilling sector has declined. It has followed
a protectionist strategy until recently, has exported little,
innovation has been weak, and the industry has shrunk.
Beneficiation and valueaddition in South Africa More foreign exchange can be earned through greater valueaddition
within South Africa, and new employment created as a result. Wood chips,
especially, could be diverted to new processing capacity within the country.
Sawing the logs presently exported, together with better grading and marketing
of sawn boards for highvalue markets overseas, could make an important
contribution in a short space of time. Ultimately, domestic processing of pulp
for paper or for textile fibres in the case of dissolving pulp offer even
greater prospects for new economic growth through export of highervalue
products.
The structure of the forest products industry
Currently, the structure of the industry is a matter of concern. Most of the
industrial forests are held by a handful of companies, and most of these own
both the forests and the processing capacity. In parts of the sawtimber
business, the same holding company sometimes owns the forests, the sawmills, the
distribution system, and the retailing outlets. Generally, such a pattern of
ownership in an industrial sector is not healthy, without enough of the
competition among firms that is needed to satisfy the interests of the
consumer.
This sector is currently the subject of an economic study by the
Department of Trade and Industry, and the Industrial Development Corporation.
This should lead to appropriate policy to guide and facilitate the future
development of the industry.
1.4.9
Meeting the country's need for industrial wood
The growth of the forest industry In the past two
decades, the industry has grown largely through expanded exports of wood chips,
pulp, and paper. Domestic consumption has grown little. In the next two decades,
domestic consumption is likely to increase considerably. Exports will be
maintained, and certainly increase in some cases (such as in dissolving pulp and
in other valueadded products). This trend is desirable, since it will
address domestic needs as well as the opportunities available in global trade.
The demand for roundwood has increased considerably. To date,
the main response to increased demand has been to plant more land, rather than
to increase yield efficiency.
Predicted shortfall Domestic demand for wood in
South Africa will increase in the foreseeable future owing to economic growth,
and growth in per capita consumption of woodbased products such as paper
(from the current low base). Current analyses indicate that domestic supply of
wood will apparently fall short of demand during the next two decades. Shortages
are already experienced periodically. Supply will also fluctuate, because the
distribution of the age classes of the forests is uneven.
This rising demand will tend to encourage further expansion of
plantations. However, expansion will be constrained by the competition for land
and water resources, and by environmental and social concerns. Policies
concerning expansion of the forest resource can crucially affect the direction
of development. Therefore, the projected shortfall in wood supply needs careful
investigation before an appropriate policy response can be
chosen.
Increasing yields and efficiency At least half of
what will be needed in 20 years' time can be provided by increasing the
productivity of current resources. Yields from existing afforested land can be
increased through genetically improved trees, improved silviculture and forest
operations, and better utilisation of current waste. A 3040% improvement,
and perhaps more, from the current base is possible over the next 20
years.
Yields in the sawmills and other processing plants can be
increased through:
Improvements in yield of possibly up to 10% may be achieved in
this way. As much as 40% of waste paper can be recycled (recycling accounts for
35% now), which at current levels would equal 1,5 million tons of wood per year.
Changing technologies in mining supports could ultimately release another 2
million tons per annum. Prolonging the life of wood used for construction by
general application of preservatives could equate to some hundreds of thousands
of cubic metres per annum. The remaining half of the roundwood required 20 years
from now must come from other sources.
Trade with SADC countries SADC countries are
important in planning a strategy to meet South Africa's needs. Roundwood can be
imported at acceptable prices probably only from Zimbabwe and southern
Mozambique, because of the high transport costs from elsewhere in the region.
However, other countries could supply processed products, such as sawn boards
and paper pulp, for further processing in South Africa. Inevitably, regional
trade will play a growing role in the industrial forest sector.
Further afforestation Further afforestation in
South Africa will be necessary to balance the supply with anticipated demand.
Rising demand will draw new land into industrial forests, perhaps facilitated by
changes in the structure of the agricultural sector. Any industrial forest
operation here, large or small, will need to be competitive with counterparts in
SADC or elsewhere. However, incentives for afforestation here should not be to
the detriment of forest projects in SADC countries, except in the case of small
grower schemes relevant to the rural development strategy. Great care must be
taken to ensure that new afforestation in the country occurs in the right
places, in the most beneficial manner, and in a socially and environmentally
acceptable manner. These issues are treated in the statements of policy that
follow below.
1.4.10 Sustainability of industrial forests
Afforestation constitutes a major change in the environment,
with impacts on landscape and ecological processes of the same order as in crop
and orchard agriculture.
However, industrial forestry provides a renewable resource for
many uses if it is practised in a sustainable way. Many concerns have been
raised as to whether or not plantation forestry as it is now practised is
sustainable in the long term. These concerns are broad ranging, from possible
depletion of soil resources, to the concerns of society about changes to the
aesthetic character of the landscapes.
Acidification Most industrial forests in South
Africa were established in grassland ecosystems on naturally acid soils which
are prone to loss of mineral nutrients. Where mineral nutrients in the wood are
exported by harvesting, or if the forest litter is not effectively
recycled, the already acid soils lose fertility.
The combination of acidification and forestry effects have been found to be comparable to areas affected by 'acid rain' to the worst degree in the industrialised countries of the northern hemisphere. The loss of nutrients is worsened by the increasing acidity of rainfall over much of the region, caused principally by industrial
pollution. About one sixth of the plantations in South Africa
are on soils with a high risk of acidification due to their shallowness, low
buffer capacity, or low base status. In order for plantation forestry to be
sustainable in the long term on these sites, fertilisation or other mitigating
measures would be required.
Wider impacts of forestry Forestry has
widerscale impacts. An example is the impact on water in rivers which flow
through protected areas, such as the Kruger National Park. This, together with
other factors such as irrigation abstraction and the prolonged drought, have
jeopardised aquatic ecosystems.
Alteration of the landscape affects perceived scenic value.
Afforested landscapes are perceived differently by different observers. It seems
that many visitors to such areas as Mpumalanga perceive the afforested landscape
as attractive, but many people who appreciate the South African landscape, do
not. Injudicious layout of plantations frequently offends the eye; however, the
forestry industry has implemented guidelines to prevent this. For example,
forestry companies have cleared and maintained at least 2800 km of riparian
zones on their estates, which would effect a significant aesthetic
improvement.
Managing sustainability The principle of
sustainability explicitly requires a responsibility on the part of present
custodians and users of resources to ensure sufficient opportunities for future
generations to derive adequate benefits from these resources, or from the human,
intellectual and physical capital that arises from their current use. However,
this concept is difficult to apply in practice, the more so since principles of
sustainability and sustainable development must be fit for the particular needs
of any given country.
Practical ways to manage toward sustainability are being pursued
internationally by developing criteria according to which forestry may be judged
sustainable or not, and indicators for assessing forestry against each
criterion. Such criteria and indicators need to be applied at the national
level, to allow the country to assess its performance as a whole. They are
applied also at the level of the firm, or operating unit within the firm, such
as a plantation estate. These assessments may be limited to certification of
operations, or forest products, so that firms and operations may be accredited,
and products may be certified as coming from sustainable forestry the
socalled green labelling of forest products.
Involvement of local forestry companies Forestry companies in South Africa have responded by subscribing voluntarily to bestpractice guidelines for environmental management, the "Guidelines for environmental conservation management in commercial forests in South Africa". These are widely implemented in the companies. These companies have developed selfassessment procedures to ensure application of the guidelines, incorporating them into their internal procedure manuals and instituting monitoring and evaluation procedures (environmental audits). The S A Timber Growers' Association actively encourages smaller private growers to use the guidelines.
However, the fact that the system is not legally binding is a
significant weakness. Accreditiation through statute and an independent
authority with the resources to provide clear evaluation and certification of
environmental management in forestry could protect the interests of the sector,
as well as protecting the environment.
1.4.11 Forestry and water supplies
Controversy about the effects of afforestation on water supplies
began in the 1920s, and continues today. This led to the implementation of
controls on afforestation that have been applied since 1972 through the
afforestation permit system.
In 1986 the industrial forests in South Africa were estimated to
consume about 1.2 billion cubic metres of water that would otherwise have
entered rivers and streams, and been available for other uses. This volume
equated to about 30% of the amount used for urban and industrial purposes, or
about onetenth the volume used in irrigated agriculture. The value of wood
produced per cubic metre of water consumed is higher than that yielded by many
forms of agriculture, and less than others. The water consumed is a cost
required to support the forestry sector as a contributor to our economy.
Regulation through the permit system The
administration of permits is discussed in the Green Paper. The principal effect
of the permit system was to disperse afforestation among catchments, rather than
to limit afforestation generally. By 1994, nearly one million hectares had been
permitted for afforestation, but only 40% of that extent had been planted.
Because of financial and logistical constraints and drought, some applicants
seek simply to increase the value of their land.
Afforestation is currently the only form of land use which is
regulated to limit upstream water consumption (though irrigation use and other
abstractions from streams are regulated in controlled catchments). This,
together with the need to regulate the apportionment of the entire water
resource at different scales within the quaternary catchment, is one of the
major limitations of the permit system, and a principal reason why progress
toward integrated catchment management is needed.
Prior to 1972, afforestation proceeded more or less unchecked.
In some cases, injudicious afforestation of riparian zones occurred. As a
result, there are cases where plantation forests
should arguably be removed. Many companies have already begun to
do so, for example in riparian zones. This clearing has recently been given
great impetus by the RDP water conservation programme, which involves clearing
of alien invasive trees from riparian zones and sensitive catchments. The
forestry companies make a significant contribution to this
programme.
Changes to the afforestation permit system
Afforestation permits are no longer issued for many of the catchments in the
country, and indeed were not from the inception of the system in 1972. Areas
suitable for afforestation and which may be released for this purpose are
diminishing.
Afforestation permits were previously administered by the Chief
Directorate of Forestry in Government. This responsibility has now been
transferred to the Chief Directorate:Water of the Department. This arrangement
is intended to ensure better balance in the process of deciding on
permits.
Permits are now administered at the level of quaternary catchments. Decisions are no longer based on whether or not the cumulative effects of afforestation would exceed a certain percentage reduction in flow. The intention is that the increased water use anticipated from a proposed forestry development should be assessed in relation to all demands for water downstream of the development. The decision must be based on the option that provides the most favourable use of the water in economic terms (after provision for community needs, the needs of downstream countries on international rivers, and the requirement to maintain aquatic ecosystems).
Applications are now screened by a multiparty Afforestation
Review Panel in each province. The Panel carefully considers representations
from all interested and affected parties. It may call for an appropriate
environmental impact assessment should it regard this to be necessary, on the
strength of representations received.
Policy for the permit system is being developed by the
Afforestation Permit Policy Committee, comprising representatives from relevant
central Government departments, forest industry associations, trade unions, and
technical experts. This committee will complete its task soon, after which a
committee to advise on permit decisions at national level will probably be
required.
There are certain problems because of shortterm bottlenecks
in the administration of the permits, the need to find and apply rapid
procedures for economic, environmental and social assessment of competing water
demands, and the burden which the system places on the prospective small farmer
or community. These problems need to be resolved quickly. The need to place the
permits in the larger context of integrated catchment management is even more
important to ensure proper balance in the allocation of water resources and
sound consultative decisionmaking processes to balance the competing
interests involved. Also needed are ways of bringing the true costs of water use
to bear on all users, not just the forest sector, to improve the efficiency of
water use.
1.4.12 Industrial forestry and the conservation of biodiversity
Afforestation involves the replacement of natural vegetation
such as grassland or woodland, ancient communities rich in species.
Fundamental habitat change of this kind obviously impacts upon
biodiversity.
Grasslands are most affected. About 11% of the grasslands of the
mountains and higherlying parts of South Africa are afforested. About 25%
of the grassland typical of the escarpment of Mpumalanga is
afforested.
Elsewhere, such as in the coastal forest zone of
KwaZuluNatal, afforestation has seldom replaced natural habitats, but
rather sugar plantations or other agricultural crops. Concern about impacts on
biodiversity arises principally in the case of mountainous regions, such as the
Wolkberg centre of endemism in the Northern and Mpumalanga Provinces. This is
because the grassland habitats in the mountainous regions contain many
native species of which a large percentage does not occur elsewhere.
Although forestry displaces many of the original species, it
does provide habitats for new species suited to arboreal habitats.
Nevertheless, biodiversity in plantations is lower than otherwise, except in
comparison with other monocrops such as many agricultural crops, and
degraded land.
Reduction in biodiversity due to plantation forestry is offset
in certain ways. This is because negative impacts are confined to planted land,
and are mitigated by survival of adapted species. Biodiversity is often
protected on unafforested land within the estate, which amounts to about 15% of
the total area involved. Much unafforested land within forest estates has
been demarcated for conservation.
Nevertheless, afforestation just like any other cropping system,
reduces biodiversity, a cost which is inevitable if we are to meet our needs for
wood. The concerns presently are that:
The Department intends that those concerns should be
addressed.
Some experts maintain that too much afforestation has
occurred in sensitive areas, and that it must be reduced. This is especially
true in areas of attractive scenery, or special conservation value. Afforested
land is being cleared in the Eastern Shores of St Lucia for this reason.
Pressures are mounting to do so in districts such as those along the
Drakensberg.
1.4.13 Forestry and landuse planning in South Africa
Generally, the use of land in South Africa has been poorly
planned, with resultant inefficiencies, inequities, and environmental
degradation. Although the most glaring consequences arise from the apartheid
policies as applied in the former homelands, effects are evident throughout the
rest of the country.
In the forest sector, some consequences of inadequate
landuse planning are seen in land disputes, the conflicts about water
resources, a concern over the loss of land suited to crop agriculture and the
loss of habitats for native species. Previous forestry development strategies
were formulated in the context of inadequate or inappropriate overarching
policies, without sufficient consultation, and did not include the regulations
needed to find the optimum development path for the sector.
While policy for the forest sector cannot provide the policy for
land use in general, it must nevertheless take into account the need for an
overarching policy and strategy, and must be designed so that it can be
accommodated within the landuse policy. Examples exist elsewhere of
policies and planning processes that require national goals and strategies for
land use to be translated to district and locallevel plans through
appropriate consultation to balance national and local interests. The
districtlevel plans identify allowable and inadmissible land uses through
comparative assessment of environmental, economic and social impacts. The
mechanisms for reaching decisions on proposed changes are clear and transparent,
and can be designed to be feasible. Such approaches could rapidly facilitate
improvement in the way forestry is fitted to overarching landuse planning
in South Africa, especially if properly linked with integrated catchment
management.
1.4.14 International conventions and concerns
Concern about the state of the global environment and the
changing international political agenda has given rise to a variety of
international forestry agreements, organisations and initiatives that affect
policy for the forest sector in South Africa.
Five documents produced at the United Nations Conference on
Environment and Development (UNCED) in Rio de Janeiro in June 1992 are relevant
to South African forestry. These are:
South Africa is signatory to the convention on Biological
Diversity and the Framework Convention on Climate Change and now faces the task
of turning them into national policy.
In addition, South African is signatory to the Rome Statement on Forestry (March 1995), which reaffirms a determination to attain the objectives from UNCED in the shortest time possible, while pursuing a balanced approach between the environmental and the developmental functions of forests.
Since UNCED, the UN Commission on Sustainable Development has
established the Intergovernmental Panel on Forests (IPF), which first met in
September 1995. Its purpose is to pursue consensus and coordinated proposals for
action to support the management, conservation and sustainable development of
all kinds of forests, not just tropical forests, consistent with the UNCSD
Statement of Forest Principles. The main issues to be addressed are:
Various efforts to harmonize forest product certification
programmes are under way. Broadly, their primary goal is to establish ways to
accredit certifiers of forest products and to ensure that certifiers operate
with the highest possible standards of integrity and technical competence.
Certification is or should be based on forest management standards that are in
accordance with internationally accepted principles and criteria, as well as
with locally developed forest management standards. The FAO has taken the
initiative to support African countries in the development of systems
appropriate to Africa. The International Standards Organisation is in the
process of enhancing the ISO 14000 standard for environmental management to
incorporate provisions for forest management and forest products. Experience has
shown that a diversity of national methods and approaches to criteria, as well
as indicators, needs to be recognised. Criteria need to be globally appropriate,
but indicators should be developed for assessments of sustainability at the
national forest management unit levels.
The FAO and UNCED have recognised National Forestry Action Plans
(NFAP) as the most appropriate planning processes leading toward forestry
development and implementation of Agenda 21 in the forest sector, and this has
been endorsed internationally. Experience has shown that early NFAPs were
inappropriate in many countries, often reflecting the agendas of the
international donors involved in developing countries rather than the real needs
of the country concerned. Subsequently, the instrument and the processes
involving their development have evolved into a useful tool that can satisfy
national and international needs.
These international conventions and norms do not necessarily
apply without change to the forest sector in South Africa. For example, many
elements in the UNCED agreements relate to the conservation of moist tropical
forests, and the forests of South Africa do not figure largely in this context.
Consequently, care will be needed in applying these norms to the development of
policies in this country, while fully recognising global obligations.
1.4.15
Government involvement in forestry in South Africa
Agencies involved in the management of forests
Many agencies are currently involved in the management of forests and woodlands
in South Africa. In central Government, these include the Departments of Water
Affairs and Forestry, Environmental Affairs and Tourism, and Agriculture. The
Department of Land Affairs and the Department of Mineral and Energy Affairs have
influencing roles. Development of industrial forestry and the forest products
industries involves the Department of Trade and Industry. SAFCOL is a matter for
the Department for Public Enterprises. The National Parks Board manages
extensive areas of natural forests and woodlands. Provincial government agencies
involved include Departments of Agriculture, and various agencies for
conservation and environmental management.
Each of these agencies has a different role to play, but these
roles need coordination and orchestration. Previously, this was sought through
such mechanisms as interDepartmental committees, like that involving Water
Affairs and Forestry, and Agriculture, for afforestation permits, and, more
recently, the Interdepartmental Committee for the Biomass Initiative. Views on
the efficacy of these committees differ; some feel that they were relatively
ineffective, others believed that they worked, and could have been more
effective if they met more often. Others argue that the problem lies in
overlapping and conflicting policies and legislation, and that committees are a
symptom of the problem rather than a solution for it.
Statutes influencing the forest sector A number of
different statutes other than the Forest Act influence the forest sector, the
most important of which are:
The relationship between all these laws and policies for the
forest sector must be considered when developing a new Forest Act, and
developing the role of Government.
The Forest Act itself confers comprehensive powers on Government
to administer forestry matters; these are outlined in the Green Paper. The Act
needs to be reviewed, at least to bring it into line with the
Constitution.
Many of the responsibilities and duties of central government in
terms of the Forest Act have been delegated to Provincial governments, for
example, the administration of extensive protected areas declared as Wilderness
Areas in terms of the Forest Act, such as in KwaZuluNatal, the Eastern Cape
and the Western Cape.
Present forest law and policy reflects an integrated approach to
protection, management, and use of forest resources of any kind. This approach
has the advantage that forest resources are clearly identified on the national
agenda, with clear responsibilities defined. It also accords with international
custom and "soft" law.
Furthermore, it reflects the responsibility of stewardship,
recognised in national and international norms and law, in that each farmer,
forester, or enterprise has to ensure that the forest estate is sustainably
managed, which is the core of the concept of environmentally sustainable
management. This integrated route will continue to be followed in the new policy
and legislative processes. The process of revision would need to address several
issues, as outlined below.
Emerging policies affecting the forest sector (energy, land,
environment, water, forestry, science and technology, trade and industry, rural
development) all indicate that the roles of Government departments, though
complementary, will still need coordination and integration, and mechanisms will
be required to achieve this.
The forest resources of the former homelands and TBVC states With the establishment of the new Constitution and the repeal of
TBVC Forest Acts, six forestry services have been added to the Department.
Approximately 10 000 employees are involved. Industrial forests amount to about
160 000 ha (with significant unplanted areas, and much of the rest neglected),
and many indigenous forests are included. The land area adds to about 320 000
ha. Some of this is proclaimed State Forest, some is tribal land, and some is
land held by the previous Bantu Trust. Estimates suggest that these
administrations involve a net cost to Government of between R200 million and
R300 million per annum.
The plantations on these lands constitute a valuable resource.
The yields of timber are committed mostly through longterm contracts to
diverse sawmilling firms. In many cases, local communities lay claim to the
benefits from, if not ownership of, the land on which the forests are situated.
Where former tribal land is involved, Provincial governments lay claim to the
land in terms of the constitution. Many important natural forests occur on the
land, requiring protection and equitable conservation. The future of these
forest lands of the former homelands is a pressing issue.
SAFCOL SAFCOL was established in terms of the
Management of State Forests Act of 1992 to place the state industrial forest and
timber processing functions on a proper commercial footing. This Act provided
for its incorporation in terms of the Companies Act, with Government being the
sole shareholder. It provided for agreements between the Minister of Water
Affairs and Forestry and SAFCOL, for the "... management, control and operation
of any State forest..." for commercial purposes. It provided further for the
deproclamation and transfer of State forest land to SAFCOL by deeming it to have
been deproclaimed as State forest (in terms of the Forest Act, this would
normally require a twothirds majority vote in Parliament).
SAFCOL was registered as a company on 21 September 1991. It
reports to the Minister for Public Enterprises through the Board of Directors.
The Minister of Water Affairs and Forestry and SAFCOL ratified a temporary
agreement on 4 May 1994, with effect from 1 April 1993, which provided for
SAFCOL's right of use of the relevant State forests, transferring certain powers
in terms of the Forest Act at the same time. State forest land was to be hired,
or used gratis. Major indigenous forests were excluded from the land transfer.
This agreement effectively deproclaimed State forest land, which reverted to the
administration of the Department of Public Works.
SAFCOL and the Department of Works signed an agreement for the
sale of the land to SAFCOL, at a price based on market value, on 22 September
1995. Title deeds have not yet been transferred to SAFCOL, but the land is
deemed to be in its ownership, and its value has been incorporated into the
balance sheet for the company.
Currently, the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry is
negotiating toward agreement on several aspects of the use and management of
this land, especially regarding the conservation and management of natural
forests and other ecosystems. At the same time, SAFCOL has been included in the
programme for the reconstruction of State assets. SAFCOL is currently operating
profitably.
1.4.16 Advanced education and training for forestry
There is adequate capacity for the training of forestry
professionals and technicians for South Africa's needs. Significant progress has
been achieved recently by the institutions concerned in adapting the curricula
to meet the needs of the country today and in the future. However, more needs to
be done, in the light of the policy set out in this White Paper. Curricula need
urgent evaluation and development to satisfy this requirement.
Furthermore, countries in the SADC have significant shortfalls
in professional capacity for development of the forest sector. South African
institutions have a role to play in addressing this shortfall, especially if
this can be done in cooperation with counterpart institutions in those
countries.
The large companies, the SA Timber Growers' Association, and the
SA Lumber Millers' Association maintain a diverse range of training courses for
employees in the industry. Employees in the companies and those of responsible
farmers and smaller operators benefit from the programmes, but many workers do
not. Skills acquired through these programmes are not certificated through a
national scheme, which limits their value and the mobility of workers.
1.4.17 Research, technology development, and innovation
Industrial forestry in South Africa has benefited from
purposeful research and technology development for many decades. Many technical
barriers to the development of the sector have been overcome through this, and
productivity has been enhanced as a result. Technical aspects of the ecology and
management of natural forest and woodlands have been well studied and the
findings used, but the vital interface between people and resources has been
much neglected. Overall, little attention has been paid to community forestry.
Indigenous knowledge and technology has hardly been mobilised. Thus, science and
technology has played a valuable role, but not equitably.
More than a dozen institutions play significant parts in
research and technology development in the forest sector, in universities, the
science councils, and the private sectors. Financial support to these
institutions has declined rapidly during the last few years. Programmes are
fragmented. Through lack of overall vision and purpose, may gaps have been left
and opportunities for synergy missed. It seems that this research capacity in
South Africa is unsustainable in its current form.
The Department has launched an investigation into forestry research in South Africa, to assess its status and the options for future development.
2. THE NEW FOREST
POLICY
The new forest policy of the
Department has several elements.
These elements of policy form the framework for new legislation,
the intended roles of Government and other institutions in the forest sector,
and outlines of strategy to turn policy into action.
The policy of the Department, and how this policy will be
applied, tested, and developed, is based upon the following
principles:
The overall goal of Government is to promote a thriving forest
sector, to be utilised for the lasting benefit of the nation, and developed and
managed to protect the environment.
This goal will be pursued by wide participation in formulating
and implementing policy and plans for forestry, which will be developed to
facilitate the role of people in communities, the private sector, and
Government.
2.3
The forest policy in relation to natural resource management in South
Africa
Many sectors compete for land, water and other natural resources in South Africa. This competition intensifies as the economy grows. Access to these resources has not been equitable. Government policy is that the forest sector should develop within the context of overall natural resourceuse planning and continuous strategic environmental assessment, especially planning for the use of land and of water. This overall planning must be peopledriven, set within a national framework, and built from the local level, in the context of participatory planning for local development and integrated catchment management. Government will ensure the necessary coordination and collaboration between Departments to promote a coordinated natural resources policy. It will focus on empowerment of communities, especially women, through equitable access to information, and appropriate service support to facilitate their participation in the planning process.
Government will regulate where and how afforestation occurs,
especially in the headwaters of the rivers. It will also ensure the protection
of biodiversity, habitats, sites of historical and cultural value, and
scenery.
Government also believes that a responsible attitude in forestry
would have plantation forests removed from areas where demonstrable
environmental damage has been done, such as on the Eastern Shores of St. Lucia.
These aspects of industrial forestry will be investigated and developed
accordingly.
Sustainable development of the forest sector and a competitive
forest economy depend on a dynamic, skilled and competent workforce, whose
members are satisfied with their employment conditions, able to grow in their
jobs, and motivated to improve the competitiveness of the sector.
The Government will use its influence to work with industry and
organised labour to move workers and management toward a progressive labour
agreement within the provisions of the new Labour Relations Act. This is the
necessary first step toward jointly agreed measures for employment conditions,
skills recognition, job grading, industrywide strategies for training and
innovation, and the progressive improvement in operating practices required in a
competitive and environmentally and socially responsible sector. The envisaged
progressive labour agreement should allow rapid development of skills and
progressive innovation and productivity improvement in forestry and forest
products firms. Workers' families need security and a good quality of life for
this to happen.
Regarding employment conditions among contractors, Government
will work to have this issue included in the new labour agreement. It will also
promote the universal acceptance of contracting policies requiring sound
employment conditions (including occupational health and safety), quality
practices (including environmental management systems), and skills recognition
among contractors providing services to companies, other growers (including
small farmers), and firms in the sector in general.
2.5 The
policy for industrial forestry
The Government recognises the important role of the industrial
forest sector in South Africa, including the wood processing industries. It
currently has a major stakeholding in industrial forestry, as the owner of
SAFCOL and the former homeland forests. Restructuring or privatisation of these
holdings will be treated in line with overall Government policy, in consultation
with all interested parties.
There is great concern as to the present structure of the forest
and forest products industry. Whilst a healthy number of smaller farmers and
firms exist, the industry is dominated by four large corporations. Generally, a
lack of adequate competition between rival firms puts both consumers and
suppliers to firms at a disadvantage, through unfavourable prices for example.
Government favours a greater diversity of firms in any sector, and prefers
conditions which promote rivalry between firms. However, Government recognises
also that there are benefits in economies of scale.
In terms of its forest policy, Government undertakes
to:
· continually monitor and assess forest health and factors affecting it (pests, diseases, fire, effects of plantation forestry on soils, impacts of atmospheric pollution, conservation of adequate gene pools) as a basis of strategic responses to any potential threats to sustainability
2.6 The
policy for community forestry
Government recognises that community forestry can contribute to
improving the environment, enriching the resources, and creating income
opportunities in previously disadvantaged communities in rural, periurban
and urban environments. It can be an important component of the range of
activities that is needed in every rural district to create
employment.
The first element of community forestry Government
recognises that natural forests and woodlands play a vital role in the household
economies of many of these communities. The benefits arising from the
sustainable management of these resources should accrue to local communities.
Community forestry will have as a principal element the communitydriven
conservation and management of these resources on land owned by the community.
State forests will be managed through partnerships with local communities,
recognising the Department's legal responsibility to the nation. Government will
support communities and local authorities to develop and implement management of
this kind.
The second element of community forestry The
second leg of the policy will be to encourage people to plant trees,
particularly indigenous trees, in gardens and fields, on streets and in parks,
and in managed plantations, to build the local resource base and improve the
living environment. This will include support to small forestbased
enterprises to ensure their place in local markets as well as in the national
economy.
Government's role in community forestry A community forestry strategy will form part of the national forestry strategy, coherent with the rural development, urban development, energy provision, and other relevant policies for South Africa, to provide the necessary leadership in community forestry. It will be integrated into local development plans.
Government will support community forestry with relevant
information and technologies. It will stimulate development through pilot
programmes and projects. It will identify barriers to progress in community
forestry, such as institutional capacity, financial services, or availability of
seed and trees for planting, and devise ways of overcoming these. The Department
will make budget provision for financial support to community forestry where
necessary and within its means. However, Government will follow the principle of
peopledriven development in its engagement in community
forestry.
Government will support effective innovation in community
forestry through a carefully designed and implemented research programme and the
equitable dissemination of information from this programme. It will develop the
skills and competencies of the current force of community foresters so that they
can become effective providers of services to Provincial government agencies,
local authorities such as District Councils, and service providers such as
agricultural extension centres equipped to address local needs. The policy will
support the eventual establishment of unified extension services at local
level.
Finally, the Department will coordinate the programmes and
actions of funders, national, bilateral, and international, in community
forestry, within the framework of national and local strategies.
2.7
Conserving natural forests and woodlands
The policy recognises the special value which the people of
South Africa place on natural forest and woodlands and associated habitats, and
our obligation to the global community to adequately protect the forests and
biodiversity of the world. It recognises, further, the role which protecting and
rehabilitating the woodlands must play in halting and reversing desertification
of our country.
Protection of State forests The policy will be to
maintain the protected State forests proclaimed in terms of the Forest Act, and
only to permit declassification with support of a two-thirds majority of the
National Assembly. Where the management of State forests has been delegated to
Provincial governments, their status will be carefully monitored, and the
responsible agencies guided and supported where necessary to ensure that
national objectives are met. Where management of State forests has been
delegated to other agencies, the Government will ensure adequate monitoring of
the state of the natural forests and woodlands on the land affected, and will
use its general regulatory powers and special influence to ensure their adequate
conservation.
Protection of other forest lands Stewardship of
forests and woodlands on land outside State forests lies in the hands of
conservation agencies, communities, and the private sector. The Government will
promote the sustainable use and management of these forest and woodland
resources, rehabilitation of degraded forests, and protection of forests and
woodlands under threat. Government will assess the provisions of the
Conservation of the Agricultural Resources Act to determine whether they are
sufficient to regulate the removal of forests and woodlands and improve them as
necessary, and promote the implementation of these provisions. It will meet its
responsibility by ensuring proper nationallevel monitoring and assessment
of the forests and woodlands resource, through the current and future
landcover mapping project, through the use of acceptable criteria and
indicators for the evaluation of sustainable management of the resources, and by
facilitating the stewardship of the forests and woodlands. It will disseminate
information about the state of the resource, report to international
authorities, support the free flow of ideas, information, and technology for
sustainable management, and use regulations, persuasion and influence to ensure
that national objectives are met. Where the Department identifies areas under
stress, it will investigate and promote rural development initiatives to provide
people with alternative opportunities to satisfy their needs.
Emphasis on communitybased methods in managing
resources It will place special emphasis on the development
and application of communitybased methods of managing these resources and
sharing the benefits obtained, wherever appropriate, i.e. in the forests and
woodlands of the former homelands, and wherever else local communities have the
right, moral or otherwise, to the benefit of the resource. Protection of forests
and woodlands will be reinforced by promoting the sustainable harvesting of
indigenous resources, to provide benefits and commercial opportunities to local
communities. Government will consider incentives to promote sustainable
management of these resources.
2.8 Global
concerns for sustainable forest development
South Africa has certain duties towards the international
community as a signatory to conventions and agreements arising from Agenda 21,
especially the Rome Declaration, to ensure that all its forests are sustainably
developed and managed, insofar as this is applicable to South Africa. Government
policy will ensure that national accounts of the state of our forest resources
are maintained, and that the Government is properly represented and supported in
international forums to report adequately on the state of its forests and to
negotiate effectively in the interests of the country.
Industrial forests are included in the scope of concern,
especially regarding the need to minimise effects on biodiversity and water
resources.
Government recognises the importance of environmental
considerations in trade, and the influence of consumers in global markets. The
emerging agreements on green labelling and international standards, such as ISO
14000, as applicable to forest products, will be assessed and their appropriate
application in South Africa promoted and supported.
2.9 South
Africa in the Southern African Development Community
The Southern African Development Community (SADC) identified
deforestation as a priority environmental issue, and increased afforestation,
fuelwood plantations, and tree planting as priority environmental action areas
in its 1993 environmental review. South Africa has much to learn from the
knowledge and experience in SADC countries. It is commonly held by Governments
of SADC countries that considerable economic opportunity exists in the
development and sustainable management of forest resources in the region, and in
potential afforestation. SADC countries have the potential to supply the market
for forest products in South Africa. Furthermore, Government recognises that the
economic development of the southern African region, the improvement of our
environment, and our social wellbeing, all depend eventually on the coherent
development of the region as a whole.
Consequently, the Government of South Africa will join in
initiatives to address these potentials, and secure agreements to ensure
sustainable regional forest development. Its policy is to work with our
counterparts in neighbouring states to ensure formal agreement on common
strategies for the forest resources in the region and natural resources in
general. It will work to assist the free flow of ideas, information and
technology among the countries of SADC. It will assist in establishing common
norms and standards for the region, to ensure sustainable forest development and
equitable trade among the countries, addressing such things as criteria and
indicators for the certification of forest products in the trade, and uniform
product standards.
2.10 Bilateral
international relations in forestry
The Government recognises the value of exchange of technology,
information, and expertise between countries in the field of forestry, and the
need to develop common norms and standards relevant to the forest sector and
trade in forest products. Consequently, we will enter into appropriate bilateral
agreements with other countries wherever mutually beneficial.
3. TAKING POLICY
INTO PRACTICE
3.1 Formulation of a new
law
The present Forest Act needs to be replaced with a new law. This
law must
Development of the new law will be coordinated with other Acts,
such as the Conservation of Agricultural Resources Act, the Environment
Conservation Act, and the Water Act.
The purpose of the new Act will be to promote the sustainable
development of all forest resources in South Africa and to regulate and control
afforestation and deforestation. It will reflect an integrated approach to the
protection, management and utilisation of forest and woodland resources. This
would accord with international custom and reflects the principle of stewardship
under which every forest owner must ensure that the entire forest resource is
sustainably managed.
The new Act will seek to provide for the following, among other
things:
· protection of biodiversity, habitats, soil, cultural assets, in industrial forests, concurrent with other Acts;
3.2
Prerequisites for applying policy
3.2.1 The role of central Government
The Interim Constitution stipulates that forestry is a national
competence. This implies that central Government has primary responsibility and
accountability for everything that Government must do in forestry. However, it
does not imply that central Government must do everything: certain functions and
responsibilities can be delegated to Provincial or local government or to other
agencies. Even then, all actions would need to be taken within the framework of
national policy and law.
Enforcing regulation The first role of Government
is to:
Through regulation, an orderly and predictable environment needs
to be created in which individuals, communities, firms, and Government can
operate successfully and securely.
Ensuring participation of stakeholders
Government's second role is to exercise leadership in the forest sector by
developing policy and strategy and overseeing its implementation, ensuring
participation by the various parties which have an interest in the sector.
Stakeholders would include the following:
Influencing developments in the forest sector The
Government will play a role to influence developments in the forest sector by
disseminating the information gathered from monitoring, evaluation and research,
shedding light on the issues of the day, engaging stakeholders in debate about
the implications of the findings, and generally facilitating agreement on policy
options. It will organise and develop its community forestry capacity to support
a unified rural extension service, through the technical extension services of
the Provincial governments, local urban and rural governments, Community
Development Facilitators, local service centres and other agents or institutions
serving the needs of development.
Cooperation with other departments In consultation
with interested and affected parties, the Department of Water Affairs and
Forestry will also work with the Department of Trade and Industry on industrial
policy for the forest sector, so that its comparative advantage is maintained in
a competitive environment, and that economically and environmentally optimum
ways are found to maximise beneficiation within South Africa. Furthermore,
working with the Departments of Agriculture and Trade and Industry, the
Department will develop ways of increasing the role of small and medium farmers
and of small, medium and micro enterprises in this sector.
Promoting a sustainable forest sector Given the
dependence of the sector upon demonstrated environmental sustainability, the
Government will work with the industry and other stakeholders to enable the
development and implementation of legally recognised criteria and indicators of
sustainability and the certification of forest products from sustainably managed
forests. This will take place within the national framework of sustainable
forest development.
Conducting pilot projects in community forestry
Pilot projects will be conducted, especially in community forestry, to prove the
feasibility and sustainability of forestry projects and programmes, both those
involving woodland and natural forest management, and those involving tree
planting. The Government will undertake or support startup projects, where
necessary, such as for the supply of seed and plants. It will use appropriate
incentives, especially supplyside incentives, to promote community forestry
and conservation of forest resources.
Managing indigenous forests Government will
continue to manage and control indigenous forests declared under the Forest Act.
It will seek to declare new protected areas where necessary. Government will
monitor and protect indigenous forests on privately owned land. It will delegate
management to appropriate agents where desirable.
Reporting to the nation and the international community
The Government will report regularly to the nation and to the
international community through the FAO and the UNCED on the state of the forest
resources of the country and on progress in sustainable forest
development.
Coordinating donorfunded programmes Working
with the Office of the RDP, the Government will provide appropriate programmes
and projects to be supported by the international donor community in the forest
sector in South Africa.
Facilitating linkage between forestry and other Government
departments Finally, the Government will facilitate
progress toward coherent policy, through linkage between the forestry function
and other government departments, sections, or bodies:
· conservation of biodiversity, the combating of desertification, and establishment of criteria and indicators of sustainability
Strengthening the forestry function in Government
Currently, a task team is examining the forestry function within Government and
developing a strategy which will determine its purpose, role, functions, and
activities, and how they should be organised. This project will be concluded
during 1996, and the resulting plan will be implemented during the following
year. In that phase, the resources and competencies of the Department will be
developed to ensure that it is able to implement policy. The status of the
forestry entity in Government will be reviewed to ensure maximum administrative
authority. An independent department is the likely preferred
option.
3.2.2 SAFCOL: The role of Government in industrial forestry
Generally (and this refers also to the forests of the former
homelands), the future of the Stateowned forest industry will be determined
with reference to Government policy on restructuring of public enterprises.
SAFCOL, as a registered State company, has the task of seeing to
the profitable, sustainable management of the former Government industrial
forests. In line with policy on the reconstruction of State assets, Government
in reviewing SAFCOL, in consultations with a wide range of stakeholders, with a
view to resolving its future ownership, in such a way as to ensure future
viability and maximum national benefit.
A special relationship exists between Government and SAFCOL,
arising from the historical origins of the latter. Government expects the
company to set the example in industry in terms of:
It will use its current and future share in the equity to
influence SAFCOL in this way, through
the Minister for Public Enterprises, without jeopardising
its competitiveness and profitability.
3.2.3 Managing the transition of the forest resources of the former homelands
Government is responsible for the forest resources of the former
homelands, for those employed on these State forests, and for the arrangements
with the firms and communities dependent on these resources. However, Government
does not intend to remain in industrial forestry in the long term. It will
consult widely as to the best way forward.
The objectives in addressing the forests of the former homelands
are to:
3.2.4 The role of Provincial government
Provincial government competencies include several that are
relevant to the forest sector. These include competencies for provincial
economic development strategies, rural development, agriculture, environment,
and nature conservation. Provincial governments are furthermore responsible for
coordinating the RDP within each province, supporting local government in
generating and implementing RDP projects within the strategic development
framework for the provinces.
Government will identify the appropriate provincial Members of
Executive Councils in each instance and work closely with their offices to
establish the role of the forest sector in the strategy for sustainable
development in the relevant province. This would need to be taken to the level
of districts, and will be based on the comparative advantages of forestry within
the setting of any given district, and the aspirations and priorities of local
people. Furthermore, the Department will delegate certain functions, including
the management of State Forests, to the province in cases where this would be
appropriate and beneficial, within the framework of national policy, strategy,
plans and standards.
3.2.5 The role of local government
Democratisation requires that local communities determine the
provision of services in their areas, investment in infrastructure, and local
economic development. Therefore, the Government will work with primary local
authorities, such as rural councils, with Rural District Councils or their
equivalents, local coordinating bodies, and Community Development Facilitators
to ensure that forestry programmes fit into local development
programmes.
3.2.6 The role of the private sector
The corporations and smaller firms in the private sector use the
forest resource to generate employment, profits for further investment, human
resources development, and many other benefits. In the forest sector, private
firms contribute to the RDP in many ways, especially in rural development in
those districts where natural resources favour forestry. The strong linkages
between forestry and its processing industries offer good opportunities for the
creation and maintenance of rewarding employment opportunities in rural
districts.
Firms in the private sector will need to adapt and innovate to
remain competitive while meeting environmental standards. Improved efficiency
will be required to meet any costs of environmental management (though
environmental standards often bring efficiencies too), to increase forest
product yields and improve the efficiency of processing raw materials.
Similarly, firms cannot simply pursue profits, but must seek to satisfy their
entire stakeholder community, including the local communities affected by their
operations.
The role of the organised private sector at this stage must be
to ensure that profitable operations also contribute to social equity and an
improved quality of life, especially among rural communities. It will also need
to develop a partnership with Government, organised labour and other
stakeholders to ensure that the industrial forest sector is unified in its
strategy to address sustainability, human resources development, research and
innovation and other factors that determine a competitive
industry.
3.2.7 Government's relationship with the community
Strong institutions of civil society are needed to ensure that
local communities are able to influence local and other levels of Government, so
that local development will carry the authority of the community. On the other
hand, civil society structures should not compete with local government
institutions, but rather complement and invigorate them. The Government will
assist in developing the role of civil society structures, such as women's
clubs, treeplanting and conservation societies. It will attempt to play an
effective role by disseminating information on the forest sector widely and
equitably, through a variety of mechanisms.
3.2.8 The role of the National Forestry Advisory Council
The Forestry Council was dissolved in September 1995 by an
amendment of the Forest Act and is to be replaced by the National Forestry
Advisory Council.
The function of the Council is to provide advice directly to the
Minister of Water Affairs and Forestry on all matters of forest policy and on
the national strategy for sustainable forest development. The Minister has
stated that he will seek the advice of the Council and be bound by unanimous
resolutions taken by it.
The new Council is intended to include representatives of the
various stakeholders in the forest sector, as well as any other person regarded
by the Minister as able to give advice on forestry matters.
3.3 Strategy and
action planning
Policy needs to be turned into strategy. The Department will
develop a national strategy for sustainable forest development in South Africa.
This strategy will address South Africa's needs, but meet the criteria of
National Forestry Action Plans as established by the FAO, in order to ensure
that South Africa meets international standards.
The first phase will be completed before the end of 1996, and
will incorporate at least the following elements:
These elements of strategy will involve wide participation in
their development, and consultation with the National Advisory
Council.
The Department recognises the historical disadvantages which
women have suffered, and that women provide the key to rural development and to
sustainable forest development Therefore, the Department will incorporate
measures into all its policy instruments to ensure the empowerment of women.
This will include a programme of corrective action and redress in its own
employment equity policy. It will include a provision that at least
onethird of the members of the National Forestry Advisory Council, and of
all other advisory and statutory structures, should be women, within the next
three years.
Furthermore, the employment equity policy of the Department will
be used as a model against which to evaluate the policies and programmes of
other organisations in the sector.
3.5
Research, technology and innovation
Currently, South Africa is developing its new policy for
science, technology and innovation. Government will promote research, technology
and innovation in the forest sector. The policy regarding the forest sector will
reflect national policy for science and technology. However, it is also
necessary to build, where necessary, and maintain science and technology
capacity that is appropriate to the development of forestry and the innovation
that is needed to ensure progressive improvement in forest policy and
practice.
Consequently, the Department will conduct an evaluation and
assessment of current capacity and programmes in South Africa, from which a new
strategy for research, technology development, and innovation in forestry will
be developed. This will be done in wide consultation with interested and
affected parties.
The broad goals of the new strategy would include:
Government recognises that communities who understand forestry
and its relationships with their environments and livelihoods are an essential
part of an effective policy. Furthermore, sustainable development of the sector
requires well educated, skilled and competent workers and
managers.
Although larger companies in the forest sector and SATGA
maintain training programmes for forest and forest products workers, this
training does not reach all current and potential workers in the sector, nor are
the skills formally recognised. Consequently, it is Government policy to support
the educational components of the rural development strategy of the RDP, to
promote the revision of curricula at tertiary education institutions involved in
forestry, and to ensure the recognition of skills of workers in the forest
sector by the South African Qualifications Authority in the National
Qualification Framework. Forestry firms will be encouraged to participate in
training incentive schemes as much as possible. Consultation with the relevant
industry associations and trade unions will determine the approach adopted for
skills recognition.
These elements would be provided for in the envisaged labour
agreement. Government recognises that several firms have programmes for literacy
and life skills, but that illiteracy is still pervasive, and a barrier to
progress. Government will therefore investigate ways of promoting basic literacy
and numeracy among forest workers, and implement the appropriate
solution.
The forest sector in South Africa provides many benefits and is
well positioned to contribute further to economic growth. However, the
opportunities offered by industrial forestry need to be enhanced by pursuing
greater competitiveness in the sector, by linking it more strongly to rural
development objectives, and by urgently pursuing wider access to these benefits.
The costs and benefits of this industry in terms of water resources and the
environment in general need to be properly evaluated. These results must be used
to guide further effective and
efficient development of the use of land and water toward
what is most beneficial. The policy outlined in this White Paper is directed
toward these ends.
Many needs of urban and rural communities can be addressed
through community forestry, which has had little consequence in South Africa in
the past. A fundamental change in the strategy for community forestry is under
way, to address the benefits to be found through improved management of natural
forests and woodlands, as well as the need for new plantings.
Finally, the full extent of our natural forests and woodlands
has now been drawn under the umbrella of a unified policy for the entire sector.
Through this, the Department will address South Africa's obligations to current
and future generations in ensuring sustainable development of these resources,
while ensuring the optimum accrual of benefits to local
communities.
Implementation of this policy will begin immediately.
The goals for implementing policy over the next five years are
as follows:
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