Timber forms an essential element of people lives especially those residing in rural areas. Most wood is used for fuel, building purpose; industrial uses include construction; mine props and paper products. Through commercialisation timber is sold and exported to different countries out of South Africa for great returns. Most of commercial plantations are located primarily in the Northeast and in KwaZulu-Natal; most timber plantations produce pine and eucalyptus trees. This case study examines the challenges of forest policy implementation on small-scale timber growers. The study was based on smallscale commercial timber grower committees and chairpersons of the mentioned committees. The study was carried out in mid September and October 2004. A quantity survey through face-to-face interviews of chairpersons of small growers committees was undertaken. Also a focus group interviews of committee members was carried out. The result showed that chairpersons and committee members do not know the Forest Act NO.84 of 1998. The forest policy implementation poses great challenges for small growers as there is a lack of information between government and growers in the respective area of operation about forestry and how it should be sustained. / Thesis (M.Soc.Sc.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2004.

Wetlands on the extensively afforested Tsitsikamma Plateau are prone to fire and according to foresters, they behave as fire channels that under bergwind conditions rapidly carry fire into plantations. The destruction of plantations causes great economic loss and MTO would therefore prefer to afforest some smaller wetlands to limit the fire hazard. This study was carried out in the middle of a drought period and sought to determine the influence of fire, plantation management and the environment on wetlands and its component species. This study of palustrine wetlands on the Tsitsikamma Plateau identified five wetland vegetation communities, in which plant species richness was relatively low. Plant compositional structure of wetlands is influenced by wetland location, the height of the adjacent plantation and fire frequency. This study found a pronounced plant species turnover from west to east and soil coarseness increased along the same gradient. Re-sprouters dominated the wetland communities in the Tsitsikamma but a few populations of the obligate re-seeding ‘Near threatened’ Leucadendron conicum rely on fire for rejuvenation purposes. Regarding dragonflies in wetlands, abundance was found to be low, while species richness was relatively high considering the absence of surface water. The study found that fire indirectly influenced dragonfly abundance and species composition by altering vegetation structure. Dragonfly abundance and species richness was generally higher in wetlands with older vegetation (≥ 9 years). Further, most dragonflies frequenting the palustrine wetland habitats were females. Seeing that female dragonflies spend most of their time away from prime breeding habitats to escape male harassment, the study indicated these wetlands as important refuge habitats for them. Dragonfly abundance is expected to increase once the drought ends; however, the overall patterns observed are likely to remain unchanged under wetter conditions. Narrow wetlands (< 10 m) are few on the plateau and it is not advisable to sacrifice wider wetlands in the Tsitsikamma. Further, with regards to ecological processes and wetlands’ influence on the surrounding Tsitsikamma matrix, more research is needed before wetlands may be sacrificed. To deal with the fire risk the Tsitsikamma environment poses to plantations, it is strongly recommended to establish and maintain a cleared buffer area between plantations and wetlands. Further, for vegetation rejuvenation purposes, it is important to burn wetlands at irregular intervals but not more frequently than every nine years and not less frequently than every 25-30 years.

The objectives of the study were to examine the socio-economic impact of outsourcing on forest-dependent communities, to evaluate the current outsourcing management system in Mondi Forests, and to assess the financial impact (costs savings) of outsourcing on Mondi Forests: Natal Region in KwaZulu-Natal. Participatory Rural Appraisal exercises were used to assess the socio-economic impact of outsourcing on forest-dependent communities. A questionnaire was then used on a sample of Mondi Forests personnel to evaluate the current outsourcing management system in Mondi Forests. Finally, cash-flow trends were used to assess the financial impact (costs savings) of outsourcing on Mondi Forests, Natal Region. Activities that have been outsourced include transport, harvesting operations, silviculture operations, security services, mechanical services, training, payroll services and information systems. Results show that outsourcing has impacted negatively on the livelihoods of some of the forest-dependent communities sampled. The negative impacts are mainly associated with a reduction in hygiene services offered to these communities and an increase in unemployment in some of these villages. Forest-dependent communities perceive outsourcing as the cause of poor relationship between the rural communities, forest companies and contractors as well as being the cause of high unemployment rates. Mondi Forests' personnel perceive that outsourcing goes beyond costs savings to include redirecting scarce resources toward core business activities. Lower morale and insecurity among forest staff members and negative views of the forestry companies by rural communities, unions and government departments were perceived as the disadvantages of outsourcing. Uncertainty with regards to employment continuity and social problems (e.g. increased forest fires, poor relationship with local communities) were perceived as outsourcing risks. Results show that Mondi Forests has implemented a number of strategies in order to reduce some of these risks and disadvantages by giving preference to their ex-employees when offering contracts, by providing start-up capital to emerging black contractors, and by initiating community development programmes in order to uplift the standard of living of the forest-dependent communities. Mondi Forests' personnel suggested that forest management. accounting, conservation management, and human resources are the best candidates for future outsourcing, since most other forest organizations in the world are already outsourcing them successfully. Most of these activities are still kept in-house in Mondi Forests. Results also show that outsourcing can be used with other rationalization methods to save costs. This is because costs savings in Mondi Forests: Natal Region, since 1998 to 2001 were .not only due to outsourcing, but also to some other management decisions such as reduced fertilizer and pesticides use. The total costs savings were R14.5 million from 1998 to 2001. Results support the need to strengthen the current rural development programmes in Mondi Forests, and to the establish Community Liaison Forums to improve communication with rural communities and to start community development programmes. A contractor upliftment programme was also recommended for developing the emerging black contractors. Lastly, company/contractor agreements must be reviewed in order to ensure that social responsibility aspects are appropriately managed. Outsourcing relationships need to consider the economic, environmental and social effects in order to be sustainable. / Thesis (M.Env.Dev.)-University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2001.

No abstract available. / Thesis (M.Sc.)-University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 1999.

Commercial forestry in South Africa was born out of the need to alleviate the growing demand on limited natural resources. From small beginnings, the industry has grown over the years and currently plays a significant role in South Africa's economy. The industry is a source of employment, foreign exchange and it facilitates a number of downstream processing activities. However, with the growth of the industry, there has also been increasing concern from various sectors over the impacts of the industry on the environment, particularly on water and biodiversity. More recently, concern has also shifted towards challenging the social and economic benefits of timber to local communities. As a result of growing pressure, legislation, policies and institutions have been transformed to ensure that environmental and social issues are taken into consideration in carrying out any form of development. The forestry industry has also changed considerably and understanding stakeholders perceptions has also become evident. In 1995 as part of the process to adhere to ISO 14001 international standards, Sappi forests commissioned a study to enable them to have a better understanding of activities, products and services which could have an impact on the environment. The concerns of the stakeholder were incorporated into their management plan. In continued efforts to improve the image of the forestry industry, this study was commissioned in 1999 with the aim of understanding how peoples perceptions of the industry had changed since 1995. The change of perceptions was determined through structured as well as semi structured interviews. A comparison between the responses in this study with those in Murphy et al. 1995 was undertaken to determine how peoples perceptions had changed since 1995. Even though the forestry industry had included some of the concerns raised by stakeholder and improved their management plans since 1995, peoples perceptions ofthe industry were largely negative. External changes leading to increased awareness in the intervening period were seen as the reason for the lack of change in peoples perceptions. Among others the external changes include increased transformation of environmental legislation both internationally and nationally which is more focused on addressing social as well as environmental issues. / Thesis (M.Sc.)-University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2000.

MPM / Oliver Tambo Institute of Governance and Policy Studies

Thesis (MPhil)--University of Stellenbosch, 2007. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The Department of Water Affairs and Forestry (DWAF) maintains that its people-centred Participatory Forest Management (PFM) program contributes to rural poverty eradication through provision of employment, skills training and sharing of benefits of sustainable forest management. It also asserts that local people in the forested parts of South Africa interactively participate in designing systems and institutions that shape forest resources use and management and hence influence their livelihood strategies. Furthermore, the department asserts that the PFM program has taken off exceptionally well in the Southern Cape Forests than anywhere else in South Africa. This means that local people that inhabit the margins of the Southern Cape Forests benefit from the management of these forests. Consequently, this study set out to investigate the socio-economic contribution of the PFM intervention to the two forest-dwelling communities of Diepwalle and Covie within the Southern Cape Forests. The investigation employed an outcome based evaluation approach and was summative in nature. Data were gathered by conducting a 100% survey of the two communities and also through a workshop. Informal interactions and discussions as well as visual observations were used to verify data as the purpose of the study was to present an unbiased, multi-voiced account of the socio-economic contributions of the PFM intervention to the Diepwalle and Covie communities. The results of this research show that the outcomes of the PFM intervention have not been met in the two communities. It was found that the vast majority of the households in the two communities were not aware at the time of this study of the PFM program. There were at the time of the study no PFM-based incentives for local communities to actively participate in the sustainable use and management of the indigenous forests in the vicinity of Diepwalle and Covie. Almost all the householders in the two communities stressed that they do not benefit from the management of the indigenous forests. The existing management approach followed in the Southern Cape Forests does not appear to have more socio-economic and environmental gains than the conventional approach which excludes local people from the planning, designing, implementation and evaluation of institutions and systems which affect their physical environment. The study recommends, among others, regular evaluation of the PFM program to fast track its successful implementation and to ensure that the National Forests Act of 1998 that establishes PFM is fully implemented to realize the socio-economic benefits of forest conservation. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Volgens die Departement Waterwese en Bosbou (DWB) dra die Mensgesentreerde Deelnemende Bosbestuursprogram (Participatory Forest Management of PFM) by tot die uitwissing van armoede op die platteland deur werkverskaffing, vaardigheidsopleiding en die deel in voordele van volhoubare bosbestuur. Die DWB beweer dat inwoners van die woudgebiede van Suid-Afrika deelneem aan die ontwerp van stelsels en instellings wat die gebruik en bestuur van woudhulpbronne vorm en daarom hulle broodwinningstrategieë beïnvloed. Verder voer die DWB aan dat die PFM-program aansienlik beter in die Suid-Kaapse Woude weggespring het as op enige ander plek in Suid-Afrika. Dit beteken dat plaaslike mense wat in buitewyke van die Suid-Kaapse Woude woon, voordeel trek uit die bestuur van die woude. Hierdie studie is onderneem om die sosio-ekonomiese bydrae van die PFM-intervensie tot twee woudgemeenskappe, Diepwalle en Covie, in die Suid-Kaapse Woude te ondersoek. Die ondersoek het 'n uitkomsgebaseerde evaluasiebenadering gevolg en was summatief van aard. Gegewens is deur 'n 100%-opname van die gemeenskappe en tydens 'n werkswinkel versamel. Informele interaksies en besprekings asook visuele waarnemings is gebruik om gegewens te verifieer, omdat die doel van die studie was om 'n onbevooroordeelde, veelstemmige verslag van die sosio-ekonomiese bydraes van die PFM-intervensie tot bogenoemde gemeenskappe daar te stel. Die navorsingsresultate toon dat die uitkomste van die PFM-intervensie nie in die twee gemeenskappe bereik is nie. Die oorgrote meerderheid huishoudings was ten tye van die studie onbewus van die program en daar was geen PFM-gebaseerde aansporings vir plaaslike gemeenskappe om aktief aan die volhoubare gebruik en bestuur van die inheemse woude in die Diepwalle- en Covie-omgewing deel te neem nie. Bykans al die huishouers het benadruk dat hulle geen voordeel uit die bestuur van die inheemse woude trek nie. Geen getuienis is gevind wat bevestig dat bekwaamhede bevorder is as gevolg van die PFM-program nie. Alle deelnemers ontken vaardigheidsontwikkeling wat deur die PFM geinisieer is. Dit blyk dat die bestaande bestuursbenadering wat in die Suid-Kaapse Woude gevolg word, nie meer sosio-ekonomiese en omgewingsvoordele lewer nie as die konvensionele benadering wat plaaslike mense uitsluit van die beplanning, ontwerp, implementering en evaluasie van instellings en stelsels wat hulle fisiese omgewing beïnvloed. Die studie beveel onder andere gereelde evaluasie van die PFM-program aan om die suksesvolle implementering daarvan te bespoedig en te verseker dat die Wet op Nasionale Woude van 1998 volledig geïmplementeer word sodat die sosio-ekonomiese voordele van woudbewaring kan realiseer.

This research assesses the state of sustainability of State indigenous forests in the Eastern Cape and provides recommendations to improve their sustainability. The Eastern Cape Indigenous Forest Management Audit (ECIFMA) report of 2009 provided the primary data for this assessment (DAFF, 2009). The research was inspired by the fact that the global challenge of forestry destruction and degradation where the extent of forests is being reduced at an alarming rate of 6% annually. It became essential for global leaders to develop policies and strategies that sought to promote sustainable forest management. The monitoring of sustainability of forests was only possible through use of globally and nationally developed sets of criteria and indicators. Eleven forest estates responsible for the management of State indigenous forests in the Eastern Cape were selected for this research. The choice was influenced by the availability of audit data from the ECIFMA report of 2009. This report contained performance information of 41 indicators under 18 criteria for monitoring sustainable forest management as extracted from the PCI&S assessment checklist developed for monitoring the sustainability of indigenous forests in South Africa (DWAF, 2005). The data was refined using the MCA methods (ranking and scoring) as described by Mendoza and Prabhu (2000). These methods yielded to the determination of the performance of indicators of forest sustainability. It was thus important to conclude the research by responding to the following questions: • What is the state of sustainability of the State indigenous forests in the Eastern Cape? • What recommendations could be made to improve the sustainability of State indigenous forests? It was found that the State indigenous forests were not managed in a sustainable manner. The research report is concluded by providing concrete recommendations to improve forest sustainability.