OCTOBER 15, 2003

Renewal of NGO Call for a Moratorium on New Timber Plantations

Timberwatch, a coalition of Environmental NGOs and individuals, calls
on the South African government as well as the timber industry, to
halt the planting of new industrial timber plantations in naturally
vegetated areas, especially grasslands. This appeal was also made
during the World Summit on Sustainable Development in 2002.

Existing industrial timber plantations in SA cover more than 1 500
000 ha, and there is a further estimated 1 700 000 ha which has been
invaded by alien plantation trees, mainly Pine, Eucalyptus and Wattle.

Before more industrial timber plantations are allowed on virgin land,
unmanaged stands of trees must be felled and used to supply the
timber industry. The land must then be rehabilitated to natural
habitat, pastures, farmland or properly licensed and managed timber
plantations.

Extensive woodlots on communal land are a way for pulp and paper
mills to obtain cheap wood under the guise of helping to uplift rural
people. Such woodlots really displace communities, taking land and
water that would otherwise be used to produce food, medicine,
building materials, and other needs. As timber plantations expand,
rural people are impoverished, and leave their traditional homes in
search of work in cities, or settle in sensitive natural areas such
as the Dukuduku forest near Lake St Lucia.

The timber industry in South Africa is viable only because it fails
to take responsibility for all the costs and impacts that arise from
its activities.

A full investigation of the industry is needed to show how it is
artificially subsidised at the expense of other far less harmful,
established and sustainable traditional land uses. The cost borne by
society of controlling the invasion of alien plants from plantations,
in particular species such as Wattle is one example of how the timber
industry is subsidised.

Issued on behalf of the Timberwatch coalition by Wally Menne

Tel: 082 4442083 E-mail:
mailto:[email protected] [2]

http://www.timberwatch.org.za/ [3]