PROGRAMME 4 FORESTRY

BROAD BASED BLACK ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT Draft Forest Sector charter initiated with working groups for sub-sectors Challenges New round of negotiations required once new codes released from DTI (expected end October 2006) Funding of Forest Enterprise Development

FOREST ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT 39 bee-keeping projects running countrywide 5 community owned ornamental and medicinal plant nurseries supported Provided training in business management, marketing and technical aspects of enterprise training to beekeepers and medicinal nursery people R1.6m spent on supplying material, infrastructure, and training – funded by DANIDA R2m funding secured through NDA for beekeeping. None spent yet. Enterprise development reflected in PGDS/P of Limpopo and EC CHALLENGES: Additional funding especially for Charter commitments Integration into IDP’s

SUSTAINABLE MANAGEMENT OF PLANTATIONS 4 workshops held to assist small growers and assist with licence applications for afforestation Research project initiated to assess small growers livelihoods and choices Linked growers with buyers in Vhembe district Facilitated linking of land reform beneficiaries with forestry management company in Mpumalanga TWK Firewood harvesters in indigenous forests in Port St Johns area organised to ensure sustainability and commercialisation of enterprise DWAF plantations: TUP, fire and theft many times industry equivalent 5575 ha burned; TUP 7291 ha (reduction from 8416 ha) = 15% (industry norm is 3-4%)

CHALLENGES: Lack of forest management skills Lack of direct control and co-ordination over the estates from national office Compliance with environmental legislative requirements

Strategy to combat long term timber supply shortages Report submitted at year end (have held workshop with stakeholders to interrogate report and obtain views) Challenges: Mitigating market failures in long rotation timber Leverage SAFCOL resource (KLF = 30% of country’s sawtimber) Protection/ expansion of remaining resource = Review of W Cape exit strategy

PAYMENT OF LEASE RENTALS Payment of lease rentals to land reform beneficiaries not achieved Challenges: Identification of beneficiaries by DLA Negative impacts on forests (fires) Leveraging R70m for development LAND NOT SUITABLE FOR FORESTRY DE-PROCLAIMED Land no longer required for forestry in WC and Mpumalanga de-proclaimed and transferred to DPW

BLYDE EXIT STRATEGY IMPLEMENTED Target: Implement exit according to strategy Achieved: Exit being implemented Challenges: Manage job losses TRANSFER OF MANZENGWENYA – MBAZWANA Target: Transfer of estates to land claimants Achieved: Not achieved Challenges: Obtain agreement with tribal authority and communities Maintain plantations effectively until transfer

FORESTRY PROFILE RAISED Achieved: New website in place Call centre well resourced on forestry Large impact during Arbor Week Forest and woodlands symposium well attended (national and international delegates) Produced Forestry DVD; in Resource Centre on website Engaged with schools and tertiary institutions

NATIONAL FIRE DANGER RATING SYSTEM Target: Launch NFDRS Achieved: System launched but not live Challenges: Technical problems with system Co-operation with SAWS

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND CO-OPERATION UNFF attended; Africa group led by SA African Forest Law Enforcement and Governance initiative supported Congo Basin Partnership supported Management of cross border fires not achieved due to non-availability of neighbouring countries for cross border fires strategies FAO international code of best practice for planted forests co-drafted World Forests Report supported Russian and Chinese agreements signed CBD report submitted

AFFORESTATION PROMOTED Forestry in PGDP/S of Limpopo and EC Licensing process partially streamlined within DWAF Challenges: Funding especially for longer rotation crops (longer investment horizon) Forestry needs to engage more actively with LAACs WOOD ENERGY STRATEGY Support to DME in development of national energy strategy not achieved Engaging with DME on strategy Ensuring sustainability of rapidly declining resource which remains important even where there is access to electricity, because of cost