Thesis (MScFor (Forest and Wood Science))--University of Stellenbosch, 2009. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Access to secure energy supplies is widely acknowledged as a critical foundation for sustainable development. Rural households are highly dependent on forest resources for their livelihoods including energy needs. Fuelwood is a non-timber forest product (NTFP) that accounts for one of the main uses of forests and woodlands. Despite substantial household electrification programmes in South Africa, the use of fuelwood as a source of energy continues. This study aimed to analyze fuelwood use patterns of two rural villages situated in Keiskammahoek in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa in order to understand the perceptions of the community members regarding communal tree planting. The study was conducted in two rural villages, namely, Cata and Tshoxa. A total of 120 respondents from both villages were interviewed using semi-structured questionnaires to collect data on the use of fuelwood and evaluate their perception on tree planting. The study revealed that up to 77% of the people living in Keiskammahoek used fuelwood as a major source of energy and that women were the main collectors and users of fuelwood. In the rural Cata, food is cooked in three-legged pots over open fires while in Tshoxa food is mainly cooked over paraffin and electric stoves. The respondents from both villages did not have energy conservation measures in place and improved wood stoves have not been introduced in this region. The local community of Cata was also involved in tree planting on a community level, while both villages were also involved in tree planting at a household level. The study concluded that fuelwood was the most important product from the forests in both rural areas and natural forests were a valuable source of other NTFPs; most notably indigenous fruit products. In addition most of the fuelwood was used for cooking and heating purposes but that there was no deliberate use of energy efficient methods. On tree planting, the study showed that communities from both rural villages have an interest in planting trees around their households; with preference for fruit and shade trees. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Toegang tot betroubare energieverskaffing word algemeen erken as 'n uiters belangrike grondslag vir volhoubare ontwikkeling. Plattelandse huishoudings is hoogs afhanklik van bosbronne vir hul bestaan, met inbegrip van energiebehoeftes. Brandhout is 'n nie-hout bosproduk (NHBP) wat beskou word as een van die hoofgebruike van woude en boslande. Nieteenstaande wesenlike elektrifiseringsprogramme vir huishoudings in Suid-Afrika, duur die gebruik van brandhout as 'n bron van energie voort. Hierdie studie het beoog om die gebruikspatrone van brandhout van twee plattelandse dorpe in Keiskammahoek in die Oos-Kaapse Provinsie van Suid-Afrika te ontleed en om die begrip van die gemeenskap aangaande die gemeenskaplike plant van bome te verstaan. Die studie is in twee plattelandse dorpe, naamlik Cata en Tshoxa, uitgevoer. Onderhoude is gevoer met 'n totaal van 120 respondente van beide dorpe deur die gebruik van halfgestruktureerde vraelyste om gegewens oor die gebruik van brandhout in te samel en die respondente se begrip van die plant van bome te evalueer. Die studie het aan die lig gebring dat tot 77% van die mense wat in Keiskammahoek woon, brandhout as 'n hoofbron van energie gebruik en dat vrouens die hoofgaarders en gebruikers van brandhout is. In die landelike Cata word kos in driepootpotte op oop vure gekook terwyl kos in Tshoxa hoofsaaklik op paraffien- en elektriese stowe gekook word. Die respondente van beide dorpe het nie energiebesparingsmaatreëls in plek gehad nie en verbeterde houtstowe is nog nie in hierdie streek ingebring nie. Die plaaslike gemeenskap van Cata was ook betrokke by die plant van bome op 'n gemeenskapsvlak, terwyl beide dorpe ook betrokke was by die plant van bome op 'n huishoudelike vlak. Die studie het tot ’n gevolgtrekking gekom dat brandhout die belangrikste produk van die woude in beide plattelandse gebiede is en dat die natuurlike woude 'n belangrike bron van ander NHBP’s is; veral inheemse vrugteprodukte. Daarbenewens is meeste van die brandhout gebruik vir kook- en verhittingsdoeleindes, maar daar was geen doelbewuste gebruik van energiedoeltreffende metodes nie. Op die gebied van die plant van bome het die studie getoon dat die gemeenskappe van beide plattelandse dorpe belange het in die plant van bome rondom hulle huishoudings; met voorkeur aan vrugte- en skadubome.

The survey has been carried out in North West Province within Rustenburg Local Municipality. This is an Urban Forestry research in which six sites including peri-urban, urban, suburban and semi-rural areas were selected for the study. The aim of the study was to determine the relationship between households and their local trees and forests. Forest in this context included community gardens, vegetation cover, open spaces, soil, water, productive sites and animals that form part of forest. Data collection was mainly based on questionnaires and covered sample of 272 households. Statistical Package of Social Sciences (SPSS) 15.0 using 5% sampling intensity (confidence level) was used in which the data has been represented by numbers. Analysis was based on determining households’ relationship with their trees and local forest, and how they influence forest productivity or development. With SPSS two techniques, regression model and descriptive statistics were applied to analyze quantitative and qualitative data. Regression model was significant in prediction of the dependent variable (Y) using independent variables (X), and proved to be a good model to analyze data for fuelwood, timber and forest food production. Descriptive statistics was important in counting number of times each category or variable is used. Participants had varying perceptions regarding the use of forest due to factors such as availability of forest resource, type of residence, and their living standard. Generally, households in suburban and urban areas value the forests for economic and environmental benefit, while the peri-urban and semi-rural households utilized their trees and forest to meet their energy demand. A large number of households consume forest food as compared to timber and fuelwood due to the availability of the resources. The Municipality as a whole is undergoing rapid development expected to continue throughout years. These developments are stimulated by mining activities and influx of people in the area. All these factors threaten the existing natural resources especially forest areas and water. Areas of these resources are declining due to the current demand for housing, new mining sites and continuous establishment of informal settlements. Trees and forest within peri-urban and semi-rural areas are in poor conditions as compared to urban and suburban areas. Poor waste management and poverty are issues aggravating the situation especially in poor developing sites that have been studied. Most agricultural sites have been transformed into residential areas, and thus exacerbating problems of food insecurity in the whole country. Household size has major influence in fuelwood, timber and forest food production as an increase or decrease in the size will determine the amount of consumption, production or development. Value for forest, access to forest, level of interaction and restrictions regarding the use of forest are also significant aspects contributing to forest productivity and development as they show the relationship that exists between forest and households. / Thesis (M.Sc.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2007.

Thesis (MScFor)--Stellenbosch University, 2002. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The Government of South Africa is faced with a mammoth task of redressing the imbalances of the past apartheid policies in the rural areas of the country. The Government has developed policies and programmes aimed at alleviating poverty in these areas. The Government has also realised the vital role that natural resources play in the livelihoods of rural people. The vision of Community Forestry as stated in the Forestry White Paper (GOSA, 1996), is to contribute to social and economic upliftment of all people, especially those in the rural areas, by promoting the sustainable utilisation of natural resources. The study was conducted in three rural villages in the Northern Province of South Africa. The three villages were chosen because of their closeness to the Kruger National Park, their remoteness and lack of infrastructure that could provide employment to the villagers. The villages were investigated using Rapid Rural Appraisal techniques and semi structured interviews with households and key-informants. The study reports on the pattern and structure of livelihoods and institutions that govern access to and control of natural resources in the woodlands that surround the three villages. It reports on the vital contribution that natural resources generate to livelihoods of the village communities by providing goods for fuel, shelter, food and medicines which are unavailable or unaffordable elsewhere for many households. The study also reports on the decline in the dependency of the communities on natural resources and the lack of cooperation between village communities and the Kruger National Park authorities, which may lead to serious management problems in the area. Lastly, recommendations based on the study findings, that may bring about possible economic and social upliftment of the communities in the three villages are put forward. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die Suid Afrikaanse Regering staan voor die reuse taak om ongelykhede wat in die verlede onder die apartheids beleid in die landelike gebiede van die land tot stand gekom het, te herstel. Die huidige Regering het 'n beleids en programstelsel ontwikkel met die doelom armoede in die gebiede te verlig. Verder het 'n besef ontwikkel van die integrale rol wat natuurlike hulpbronne in die lewensonderhoud van mense uit landelike gebiede speel. Die visie van gemeenskaps bosbou, soos uiteengesit in die Forestry White Paper (GO SA, 1996), is om deur middel van die bevordering van volhoubare gebruik van natuurlike hulpbronne, 'n bydrae te lewer tot die sosiale en ekonomiese opheffing van alle mense, maar spesifiek die in landelike gebiede. Die studie is uitgevoer in drie landelike dorpies in die Noordelike Provinsie van Suid-Afrika. Die spesifieke dorpies is gekies a.g.v. beide hulle nabyheid aan die Nasionale Kruger Wildtuin sowel as hul afsondering en tekort aan infrastruktuur, wat werksgelenthede aan die inwoners kan verskaf. Die dorpies is bestudeer m.b.v. die Rapid Rural Appraisal tegniek en semigestruktureerde onderhoude met huishoudings en sleutel-informante. Deur middel van die studie word verslag gelewer op die lewensonderhouds patroon en strukture van huishoudings, sowel as die instellings wat toegang tot en gebruik van natuurlike hulpbronne beheer in die boslande rondom die drie dorpies. Dit dui die lewensbelangrike ondersteuning wat natuurlike hulpbronne aan huishoudings in die gemeenskap verskaf aan. Die ondersteuning word gevind in die vorm van materiaal vir vuurmaakhout, skuiling, kos en medisyne wat elders onbeskikbaar of onbekostigbaar is vir baie huishoudings. Verder word verslag gelewer oor die dalende afhanklikheid van gemeenskappe van hierdie natuurlike hulpbronne en die tekort aan samewerking tussen dorpsgemeenskappe en die bestuur van die Nasional Kruger Wildtuin. Dit mag wel tot bestuursprobleme in die nabye toekoms lei. Laastens word voorstelle, gebaseer op die bevindinge soos bespreek in die studie, gemaak wat mag lei tot die moontlike sosiale en ekonomiese opheffing van die gemeenskappe in die drie dorpies.