Back to basics focus for KZN wattle growers

Friedel Eggers of UCL urges foresters to plant the best black wattle clones on the right sites to reap the benefits of good bark and timber yields

NCT Forestry organised an informative field day in October for its members and farmers in South Africa’s KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) Midlands region. Terry Wolhuter of Elands Spruit Farm in New Hanover hosted the event.

Roger Poole, from NCT, explained that the wattle farming area in KZN has been decreasing over the past decade due to various factors such as land returned to new owners who are not interested in tree farming, wattle being vulnerable to pests and diseases, and damage caused by wild and domesticated animals.

The theme for the day was 'Back to Basics', meaning it is crucial to focus on getting the basic principles of tree farming right to ensure the health of your trees and to get a return on your investment.

Open for business. Rob Thompson delivered the good news that NCT’s Richards Bay mill is open

NCT’s Greytown District Manager Cliff Walton provided info on the log specs required by the mills — Open for business. Rob Thompson delivered the good news that NCT’s Richards Bay mill is open

The day was divided into two parts. Indoors, attendees heard presentations on pests and diseases by Brett Hurley from the Forestry & Agriculture Biotechnology Institute (FABI) and the demand for pulpwood during the 2024-2025 financial season by Rob Thompson of NCT.

The outdoor session included presentations from NCT's tree farming manager, Craig Norris, on wattle clones, planting, pruning, thinning, and maintenance by Friedel Eggers of UCL, as well as the timber specs required by the NCT mills for harvested timber by NCT's Greytown area manager Cliff Walton.

INDOOR SESSION

Wattle pathogens

Brett Hurley of FABI and the Tree Protection Cooperative Programme (TPCP) started the day's programme with information on the latest pest and pest-related diseases affecting wattle trees.

These include the wattle rust fungus, which infects the foliage of trees and stems of saplings, flowers, and seed pods. Telia, resembling brown powdery masses, develop dry on young host tissue but become slimy under wet conditions. In severe cases, wattle rust can reduce the growth of young black wattle trees by up to 40%. A lot of work is being done through the Institute for Commercial Forestry Research (ICFR) to breed rust-tolerant trees.

NCT’s Craig Norris provided info on the growth performance of the latest black wattle clones and the benefits of planting green wattle

Seedlings or clones are planted in a rip-line created by this customised ripper at Eland Spruit Farm — NCT’s Craig Norris provided info on the growth performance of the latest black wattle clones and the benefits of planting green wattle

Other noteworthy pathogens in the KZN region are Ceratocystis wilt and Phytophthora species. The Ceratocystis wilt is a relatively new disease that affects wounds on black wattle. Hence, it is crucial when pruning to make clean cuts and avoid unnecessary stem damage, as these can become entry points of this pathogen.

Phytophthora spp is present in the midlands area, causing leaf and root rot. The Tree Protection Cooperative Programme (TPCP) is doing research to gain a better understanding of this pathogen.

Wattle pests

Brett said tree pests affecting wattle includethe Melanterius seed weevil, Aqrilus grandis, a wood-boring jewel beetle, and white grubs.

The Melanterius weevils are seed feeders that lay eggs and feed on wattle seed. Lately, it has been noted that there has been a shift in its feeding pattern, and it is now infesting and feeding on young shoots and twigs of the black wattle. The weevils typically have one generation per year, coinciding with seed maturity. The Melanterius weevil is present in the Howick region.

The Agrilus grandis jewel beetle is a wood borer in the Melmoth region. It is native to the South and East African areas. It bores underneath the bark and leaves a network of tunnels. Researchers are trying to find out why it is now attacking wattle.

Ongoing work is being done on white grubs to learn more about the different species and what drives them. Brett requested growers to alert the FABI team if they detect heavy white grub infestations on their farms and plantations.

Brett said FABI’s Diagnostic Clinic is open to NCT and TWK members and partners free of charge. Individuals and organisations that are not members are charged a fee for the service. The clinic identifies plant pests and diseases so that appropriate management strategies can be adopted.

Pulpwood demand 2024-2025

NCT's Rob Thompson began his presentation with a reality check: "If you thought we were the only ones with problems, please think again".

He said 46,000 American workers in all 36 ports went on strike for about four days recently, demanding a wage increase of up to 50%. The strike cost America over $5 billion per day and caused shortages of items ranging from bananas to essential goods.

Shifting the focus closer to home, Rob announced that NCT Richards Bay Mill's two chipping lines are operating well. Durban Wood Chips has recently reopened after a successful mill service shutdown in September, with the damaged vessel loader now back in operation.

Rob noted that NCT's current challenges included the strong Rand-Dollar exchange rate (R17,44 on 8 October 2024) and the hard and dry wattle being received by the mill, which negatively affected chipping blades. This old stock has been significantly drawn down at the mills and NCT farm depots.

Pulpwood demand for the 2024 – 2025 financial period indicates that Durban Wood Chips will require an estimated 500,000 tons of wattle and 120,000 tons of Eucalyptus smithii. Richards Bay Wood Chip would need about 1,3 million tons of wattle. Thompson hoped 2025 would be prosperous for NCT, its members, and partners.

IN THE FIELD

A customised planter applies water and fertiliser when sowing seeds on the Wolhuter farm

Terry Wolhuter, owner of Eland Spruit farm near New Hanover in the KZN midlands, hosted the NCT wattle field day — A customised planter applies water and fertiliser when sowing seeds on the Wolhuter farm

Wattle clones

NCT's Craig Norris explained why planting clones in modern forestry is preferable. Wattle clones are genetically identical which means they grow better, there is more uniformity and need less thinning. For example, rust-tolerant clones have a higher MAI (mean annual increment) than commercial seedlings.

He advised farmers to plant the frost-tolerant clones at the exposed valley bottoms where frost occurs. “Frost tolerant does not mean frost-resistant”, he warned, “they are more likely to survive severe frost events”.

SP644 was the first commercial rust-tolerant clone released in SA and was fast-tracked to combat the impact of wattle rust. It shows increased growth and better uniformity than commercial black wattle seedlings.

Craig said AF01 is currently the best-performing rust-tolerant wattle clone. Corrective pruning may be necessary due to heavier branching.

JC108 is the latest rust-tolerant clone to be released. It is similar to AF01 but with a better stem form. FW54 is currently the only frost-tolerant wattle clone on the market. It is explicitly bred for rust tolerance but shows no growth advantage over commercial seedlings.

Craig urged growers to remember:

Plant rust tolerant clones (SPs, AFs or JCs) on good wattle sites or sites prone to rust infection and NOT in frost areas.
Avoid sites exposed to windthrow and don’t plant root-bound seedlings.
Planting espacement of 1.8m x 3m is critical especially for the SP644 clone susceptible to windthrow.

Silviculture

Friedel Eggers of UCL stressed the importance of good site preparation before planting, including the correct pit depth and width (25cm x 25cm) and pre-plant weeding (weed-free pits). Planting espacement of 3m x 1.8m is recommended for clones, and you need to maintain the compartment weed-free for the first year.

Callum MacKenzie of Midlands Spraychem demos the Faka-Plenty planting tube

Two two-person teams equipped with Stihl earth augurs can make as many pits in a day as a manual planting team of 12 people using picks — Callum MacKenzie of Midlands Spraychem demos the Faka-Plenty planting tube

Pruning should be done in winter before the trees are two metres tall. Prune only the double leaders and branches competing with the prominent stem leader. Do not over-prune, as it can inhibit tree growth. Make clean cuts, not too close to the main stem, to avoid infection.

Friedel said that if the above is observed and the site is ideal for wattle, it is easy to get yields of up to 120 tonnes per hectare from wattle clones. This produces a nett standing value (after harvesting and transport costs are deducted) of roughly R90,000/hectare.

Specifications

NCT's Cliff Walton outlined the timber specifications for harvesting wattle. Logs must not be fire-damaged as it is difficult for the mills to bleach burnt timber. The correct length for logs is 2.4m, with diameters between 5cm and 40cm. There must be no knots, bark, and mud. The logs must be delivered 4 to 10 weeks after felling.

Ensure that the logs are free of contamination like nails, steel, plastic, fungal growth, oil or anything else that may negatively influence pulp quality. Other factors to watch out for include drought-stressed timber, which is identified by low moisture and the presence of wood borers.

Thanks to the sponsors

The field day ended with a braai and drinks courtesy of NCT and other event sponsors, including Stihl, Midlands Spray Chem, Sunshine Seedlings, TWK, Rhino Charcoal, Rolfes Agri, and Eland Earth Moving.

Wattle: Champion trees, when properly managed

NCT harvesting wattle in Richmond in KZN, with a mature wattle compartment in the background

In the right hands, wattle trees are true champion trees, giving commercial and small-scale growers multiple product options. Unmanaged, these prolific seeders can spread far and wide across the hills and valleys, negatively impacting biodiversity and using up scarce water resources.

However, when managed correctly in a plantation or woodlot environment, they are among the most productive and useful commercial tree species. Wattle is a great crop for small-scale tree farmers operating on tribal land.

Value-adding

This is especially so when there is a wattle bark factory nearby because mature black wattle trees (Acacia mearnsii) deliver at least two highly valuable marketable products at harvest time: timber for pulp, and bark that is processed to make tannin and adhesives. These products are in high demand worldwide and provide the essential raw material for a vibrant export trade.

Wattle timber that doesn’t meet the specs required by the pulp/chip mills makes excellent firewood and can be utilised as feedstock for charcoal manufacturing, another highly marketable product.

The pioneering SP644 wattle clone at 18 months

Fisokuhle Ngcobo explains the benefits of correct spacing in this well-kept wattle compartment at his homestead in Matimatolo near Greytown in KZN — The pioneering SP644 wattle clone at 18 months

Wattle trees are also planted strategically by some tree farmers as a “green” fire break to shelter their pine or Eucalyptus compartments from wildfires because healthy wattle trees don’t burn easily. Wildfires that enter well-kept wattle blocks tend to slow down and lose momentum.

Sustainability

Because they grow so fast and self-seed so prolifically in various climatic conditions, it is often assumed that wattle trees are easy to grow commercially … just plant and go and come back to harvest in 8 - 10 years.

But this is not necessarily the case, as the demands of the market and the economics of commercial tree farming today require a sound management approach to growing wattle based on improved planting stock, good silviculture practices and sound science.

Growers must also contend with the variables of a changing climate, extreme hail, wind, frost and snow events, and a significant increase in pests and diseases impacting the health of commercially grown wattle trees.

Chief among these is wattle rust, Ceratocystis wilt, Phytopthora spp, mirrid, bagworm, white grub and a couple of newcomers in the wood boring jewel beetle (Agrilus grandis) and the Melenterius seed weevil.

Fresh black wattle bark ready for delivery to the bark factory

Amandla Emvelo CPA members have a community tree farming enterprise in Hermannsburg, KZN. With them is Eza Mapipa (right) of NTE — Fresh black wattle bark ready for delivery to the bark factory

International markets

The New Hanover district in the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands is one of the prime wattle-growing regions in South Africa. It is close to NCT’s woodchip mills at Richards Bay and Durban and there are bark factories at Dalton (UCL), and Hermannsburg and Iswepe (NTE) near Mkhondo in Mpumalanga.

At a recent field day, NCT’s tree farming manager, Craig Norris, said advances in tree breeding are developing a range of black wattle clones that have taken the humble wattle tree to new heights – quite literally.

The wattle tree breeding programme is a collaborative effort between NCT, TWK, NTE, UCL and the ICFR. It means there are choices to be made when planting wattle:

Seedlings or clones
Rust tolerance or frost tolerance
Black wattle or green wattle (Acacia decurrens).

The advice from Craig and Friedel Eggers of UCL is to plant clones sourced from reputable nurseries ahead of seedlings if possible. Clones are significantly more expensive than seedlings, so good silviculture is critical to protect your investment and ensure you reap the rewards of the enhanced growth and form that cloned black wattle can deliver.

MTO harvesting forester required

MTO Forestry requires the services of a qualified Harvesting Forester at their Knysna Plantations located in the Knysna Region.

Minimum Job Requirements:
- Degree or Diploma in Forestry (National Diploma or BSc Degree)
- 3 Years’ relevant experience as a forester is seen as a minimum requirement for this job.

Additional Requirements (Advantageous)

Specialized firefighting knowledge.
GIS (Geographical Information Services).
Sound knowledge of all relevant legislation with specific emphasis on the Forests Act and the
Veldt and Forest Fire Act.
Knowledge of the OSHACT, accident investigation, Labour Relations Act, Mentoring and
coaching of staff etc.
Knowledge of Environmental related issues, such as FSC chain of custody.
Financial and software specific knowledge i.e. budgetary control, Micro Forest and related
software training.
Able to manage risks and occupational health and safety.
C1 drivers licence.
People Management Experience
Ability to manage change and improve on current systems
Impeccable discipline and attendance record
Computer literate

Housing : Housing available
Closing date : 22 July 2016

Please complete and submit application to HR Department or fax or email for attention of J Watermeyer.
Fax: 042 280 3953
Mail: Jacquesw@Mto.co.za

For further info contact rushda@mto.co.za

Falcon Forestry Claw

The Falcon Forestry Claw is a motorised grapple carriage developed by Moutere Logging to improve efficiency and safety during steep slope harvesting, by eliminating the need for ground crew to attach and detach logs. This is one of the highest risk activities in harvesting operations. See this innovative device in action...

FSC short course

The Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University is presenting a FSC Certification short course for forestry managers and contractors in Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal from 11 - 13 May 2015.

With Forest certification growing globally in excess of 30% per year and more than 85% of the South Africa forestry industry FSC certified, it has become critical for all role players in forestry to fully understand the FSC certification process and how it impacts on day-to-day forestry operations.

The three-day course, to be presented by Michal Brink, will provide participants with a clear understanding of the Forest Management standard used in South Africa and the approach of auditors when verifying compliance to the standard.

Info: Ronalda McEwan email ronalda.mcewan@nmmu.ac.za; cell 083 267 1317.

*Image © FSC

Myrtle rust spreading in SA

The Myrtle rust (Puccinia psidii), discovered in South Africa for the first time two years ago, is considered a high priority threat globally, writes Prof Jolanda Rouux of the TPCP, University of Pretoria. It has a wide host range in the Myrtaceae and poses a considerable threat to native ecosystems where these plants occur. The fungus is also a threat to eucalyptus species widely planted in commercial plantations in South Africa.

Foresters, farmers and landscapers are urged to keep a look-out for signs of the pathogen and to report any suspected cases to Prof Roux.

The non-native rust pathogen of Eucalyptus and other Myrtaceae, Puccinia psidii, was first reported from a single tree in a garden on the KwaZulu-Natal South Coast of South Africa in May 2013. No other reports of the pathogen in that area have been received to date.

However during a survey of cycad diseases in the Wolkberg Wilderness Area near Tzaneen, Limpopo Province, two native Eugenia sp. plants with P. psidii were discovered in late July 2014. Follow-up surveys in the area have confirmed the presence of the pathogen on more than 10 Eugenia plants in the Wolkberg and New Agatha areas near Tzaneen. Some plants were showing leaf and shoot death as a result of the infection.

Most recently, in February 2015, P. psidii was discovered on an ornamental Australian plant, Backhousia citriodora, in a garden in Centurion, Gauteng.

Puccinia psidii, the myrtle rust pathogen, has been known from Brazil and other South and Central American countries for several decades. It was discovered more than 100 years ago, but gained notoriety when it started affecting commercially grown allspice (Pimenta dioica), guava (Psidium guajava) and Eucalypt species. In recent years the fungus has spread to the USA (1977), Hawaii (2005) and Australia (2010).

Infection of plants results in leaf spot, necrosis of leaves, shoot, flower and fruit infections, resulting in death of affected plant parts. When producing urediniospores, the pathogen and its disease is easily identified by the masses of yellow spores in the lesions and on affected plant parts. In some cases, cream to white telia may also be observed. Brazil initiated extensive breeding and chemical spray programmes to manage the pathogen on eucalypts. However, in Australia where the pathogen occurs on more than 100 native myrtaceae species in their natural environment, the extinction of key plant species is expected.

The threat of P. psidii to South Africa is considerable. We have several native Myrtaceae (Eugenia, Syzygium, Metrosideros species) and multiple industries cultivating non-native Myrtaceae (Eucalypts, guava). Based on experiences from other countries, the impact to our already threatened native ecosystems and to these industries can be significant.

We encourage you to spread information on this important pathogen as wide as possible and to report any possible sightings of the disease to the TPCP and CTHB. For images of typical symptoms please visit: fabinet

Info: Jolanda Roux – email jolanda.roux@fabi.up.ac.za; cell 082 909 3202

XIV World Forestry Congress

Preparations for the XIV World Forestry Congress (WFC) to be held at Durban’s ICC from 7-11 September are on track with a new Secretary General heading up the DAFF team and a professional conference organiser appointed to ensure the smooth running of the event.

African Agenda has been appointed to manage the logistical arrangements of the Congress, which is expected to attract around 8 000 delegates.

Trevor Abrahams has replaced Hester Obisi as Secretary General of the WFC team, responsible for liaison with the FAO and the overall co-ordination of the Congress on behalf of the Department of Agriculture Forestry and Fisheries.

The FAO is currently finalising the selection of papers, submitted from around the world, which will form the core of the conference programme.

A special ‘early bird’ rate is available for South Africans wanting to attend the XIV WFC. The cost will be R4 150 for the full five days if you register before end May – otherwise it will cost you R5 300. Reduced rates are also available for students.

Info: www.fao.org/forestry/wfc