The role of private landowners in conserving South Africa's wetlands

By Hlengiwe Msibi, Forestry South Africa's Environmental Management Committee Chair

Through active environmental land stewardship, forestry companies play a significant and positive role in conserving key ecosystems like wetlands and threatened, endangered, and endemic species they support. 

South Africa's wetlands are biodiversity-rich ecosystems that support various plant and animal life, including endemic and threatened species. By acting as natural water filters, wetlands improve water quality while regulating hydrological cycles, thus helping prevent flash flooding and playing a crucial role in water security. 

Sappi Shafton Kusane Wetland

A 2021 survey of South Africa's forestry landholdings found that more than 300,000 hectares of natural and semi-natural habitats are actively managed and maintained within the forestry landscape. This includes more than 171,000ha of grasslands and their connected wetland systems. 

CASE STUDY: Protecting the Long-toed Tree Frog

Sappi's Pinewoods plantation in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), South Africa, is home to a diverse range of species, including the recently discovered Long-toed Tree Frog (Leptopelis xenodactylus), which is classified as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

The frog is distinguished by uniquely long toes and reduced webbing that allows it to navigate grasslands and perch on blades of grass. The presence of Leptopelis signals that the wetlands and grasslands in this forestry area are healthy and support biodiversity. These factors demonstrate that production landscapes and the indigenous regions can coexist, highlighting the potential conservation value of these multifunctional landholdings.

In a forestry context, environmental stewardship is a multifaceted commitment that integrates sustainable management practices with collaborative efforts to restore and reconnect natural habitats and the ecological services they provide. 

Such stewardship cannot be done in isolation, as ecological services and natural habitats extend beyond the boundaries of the forestry landscape. It demands collaboration between various public and private stakeholders, individuals and organisations, and active investment in research and innovation to guide and enhance conservation efforts.

Mondi conserves wetlands

Setting international benchmarks

Over 85% of forestry-owned land in South Africa is certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), with 40% holding dual certification through the Sustainable African Forestry Assurance Scheme (SAFAS), which is endorsed by the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC).

International certification requires adherence to a suite of sustainable management practices that often surpass national legislative requirements. These include measures designed to prevent forestry operations from encroaching on wetlands, implementing buffer zones to filter out pollutants and sediment, and, where necessary, restorative processes. 

Responsible management practices aligned with international certification standards have seen South Africa's forestry sector setting a benchmark for other landowners to proactively manage environmentally sensitive areas within and beyond their boundary lines. 

Restoring balance & repairing historical impacts

Over the past three decades, the SA forestry industry has undergone a significant transformation driven by technological advancements, research, and innovation. The evolution has reshaped how the sector thinks, operates and conducts business, focusing on sustainable practices that emphasise environmental and social stewardship. 

As part of this shift, hundreds of hectares of trees planted near wetlands before 1972 have been removed in areas where wetlands have been damaged or lost due to historical forestry practices. Restoration projects often undertaken in collaboration with conservation organisations are reviving these ecosystems. 

A close up of the Long Toed Tree Frog

CASE STUDY: Reviving the Karkloof Catchment 

The Karkloof catchment is a network of rich wetlands that form part of the water catchment for KZN's greater Durban and Pietermaritzburg areas. It is also highly productive agricultural land, intensively used to produce food and wood fibre. 

Approximately 170ha of a larger floodplain wetland at the confluence of the Karkloof, Kusane, and Mnalweni Rivers are owned and managed by Sappi. Over the past century, this area has dramatically transformed from ploughed floodplains in the 1930s to plantation forestry in the 1970s. 

However, since the early 1990s, wetland floodplains have been actively restored by removing more than 70ha of planted trees, and since 1998, the implementation of an active management plan for controlled burning, grazing and weeds, like St Joseph Lily and brambles. 

Wetland assessments in 2023 indicated that the Shafton/Kusane wetlands are in good health. It also highlighted opportunities for further improvement, particularly continued weed control along the wetland margins. Sappi remains committed to this positive trajectory, recognising wetlands as a species-rich aquatic and terrestrial life habitat. It is another reason the Karkloof Valley is a nature-rich and beautiful asset.

Stewardship with a bird's eye view

For meaningful and widespread impact, environmental stewardship and conservation initiatives must be viewed at a landscape level, with the buy-in of a wide range of stakeholders. While this inevitably adds a layer of complexity, it unlocks far greater potential for delivering sustained positive impact. 

Water stewardship exemplifies this approach, shifting the focus to the catchment level and requiring the forestry sector to engage and collaborate with a collective of interested and affected stakeholders to achieve tangible outcomes. 

CASE STUDY: WWF Water Stewardship partnership as a blueprint for effective environmental and social stewardship

With funding support from Sappi, the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) has spearheaded the development of the uMkhomazi Catchment Working Group in KZN. The collaborative forum gathers diverse multisectoral stakeholders to advance water stewardship and coordinate projects within the catchment. 

The partnership has supported clearing 130ha of alien invasive vegetation and improved rangeland management across 2,323ha in the upper catchment. These efforts created 40 jobs and upskilled 82 people.

Continuous improvement for conservation

Research helps us understand the interaction between forestry practices and wetland health and drive innovative solutions that enhance conservation efforts. The forestry sector constantly develops and refines best practices that balance conservation with sustainable timber production by linking with academic and research partners, government departments and environmental organisations. 

As a sector, we firmly believe this is how we do business, and we recognise that there will always be space to improve in an evolving world.

Wetlands are the lifeblood of our planet, supporting all living creatures and creating opportunities for sustainable development in rural communities.

The forestry sector has the tools, partnerships, and commitment to make a lasting difference. By investing in restoration, adopting sustainable practices, and collaborating with stakeholders, we can safeguard wetlands for future generations. Together, we can ensure these vibrant ecosystems remain a source of life, inspiration, and prosperity.

Hlengiwe Msibi

Edited by Joy Crane

On a mission to protect and conserve South Africa’s medicinal plants

By Joy Crane

Dr Nicky Jones inspecting Warburgia plants at the Sappi Shaw Research Centre nursery. Pic by Sappi

Indigenous trees, their stems partially or entirely stripped of their bark and left to die in Cape Town's Newlands Forest and areas like the upper reaches of the iconic Kirstenbosch Garden, is a sad sight that greets walkers and hikers all too often.

Organisations like Friends of Table Mountains and Newlands Forest Conservation have joined forces with other community groups, companies, media, citizen scientists and the South African National Parks to educate traditional healers about sustainable bark stripping.

Sappi says the traditional medicine trade in South Africa is a significant industry, valued at R2.9 billion annually and accounting for 5.6% of the national health budget. It supports 27 million consumers and provides a livelihood for at least 133,000 people, many of whom are rural women.

DESTRUCTIVE HARVESTING

However, the trade is at risk due to the unsustainable harvesting, often illegally, of indigenous plant material from South Africa's national parks like Newlands, important conservation corridors maintained by forestry companies, and elsewhere involving around 771 species.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), 80% of people in Africa use traditional medicine, and over 82% of urban and rural black South Africans rely on these practices.

The report "Economics of the Traditional Medicine Trade in South Africa" (Mander, M; Ntuli, L; Diederichs, N; Mavundle, K) underscores the urgent need to protect tree species used for medicinal purposes. Popular species are becoming locally extinct and are being traded at high prices, raising serious concerns about the future of the traditional medicine trade and its benefits.

SAPPI RTES

In KwaZulu-Natal, the Sappi Rare, Threatened, and Endangered Species (RTES) Programme contributes to conservation efforts.

"By raising awareness about the importance of protecting medicinal plants and the environment, Sappi aims to promote a culture of conservation and sustainability", comments Giovanni Sale, Sustainability Manager, Sappi Southern Africa.

The RTES Programme focuses on species identified by scientific methods and organisations like the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), ensuring these species, especially those used in traditional medicine, are protected from unsustainable harvesting.

PEPPERBARK PROJECT

The Sappi RTES Programme, initiated in 2013, initially focused on the Warburgia salutaris (Pepperbark) project near the western borders of the Kruger National Park (KNP). At that time, the situation was so dire that a grove of these trees in KNP had to be protected by armed guards to protect them from muti poachers.

Traditional Healers Workshop in Kwazulu Natal. Pic supplied by Sappi
Traditional Healers Workshop in Kwazulu Natal. Pic supplied by Sappi

Since 2015, the KNP and its partners have distributed 85,000 Warburgia salutaris trees, starting with just 40 in the first year. Ezemvelo KwaZulu-Natal Wildlife and its partners have distributed 25,000 trees since 2019, achieving an 85% survival rate for the trees planted and monitored by distribution agencies.

Giovanni says the programme adopts a team approach, working with recognised experts, including social ecologists mandated by government legislation, who work directly with traditional healers and their communities. This collaboration makes the extension of the project a natural fit.

"The Sappi Shaw Forestry Research Centre is proud to play an instrumental role in developing new methods to secure better germination and propagation of the Pepper-bark tree. Due to the programme's success, we are extending that support, and other species have been identified for phase two of the project", said Giovanni.

AFRICAN CHERRY, BLACK STINKWOOD AND ASSEGAI TREES

The programme is being extended to include Prunus africana (African Cherry), Ocotea bullata (Black Stinkwood), Vachellia xanthophloea (Fever Tree), and Curtisia dentata (Assegai Tree). The Sappi Shaw research team is conducting trials on African cherry, black stinkwood, and the assegai tree.

Sappi has extended its research in medicinal trees at its research nursery. Pic by Joy Crane
Sappi has extended its research in medicinal trees at its research nursery. Pic by Joy Crane

Other partnerships and collaborations within the programme include academic institutions, the South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI) nursery, the Agricultural Research Council (ARC) in Mbombela, and national and regional parks like KNP and Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife.

Willem Boshoff, a founder of Newlands Forest Conservation, says Cape beech, Cape holly, assegai, stinkwood, wild peach, red alder, hard pear and other trees are targeted by strippers.

SUSTAINABLE HARVESTING

In an interview with Don Pinnock of Daily Maverick in February, Willem said, "There are two dynamics involved. One is access to traditional medicine that may be cheaper, the other is traditional beliefs.

"Becoming critical of a cultural practice is very sensitive terrain. We're not critical of a practice that has been going on for centuries, we are critical about it being done in a completely unsustainable manner, and then going from unsustainable to extremely destructive. For some, it's simply a commercial criminal enterprise".

Stripped of their bark and waiting to die. Pic by Willem Boshoff and Daily Maverick
Stripped of their bark and waiting to die. Pic by Willem Boshoff and Daily Maverick
Bark stripping in Newlands Forest. Pic by Friends of Newlands Forest
Bark stripping in Newlands Forest. Pic by Friends of Newlands Forest

Willem told Don they found a solution in Newlands: to paint the trees with diluted PVA. Protecting these species is vital for ensuring that medicinal plants can be used sustainably for future generations while maintaining biodiversity.

STIHL supports rhino dehorning project

The rhino are darted and then the horn is cut off just above the growth point, using a chainsaw. The process is quick and painless.

There has been an alarming surge in rhino poaching, particularly within the Hluhluwe iMfolozi Park (HiP), forcing Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife, in collaboration with WWF South Africa, to undertake a rhino dehorning programme. KZN lost a total of 325 rhinos in 2023, with 307 of those poached within HiP, despite concerted efforts to stem the tide.

The dehorning programme marks a pivotal moment in Ezemvelo’s anti-poaching efforts, aligning with proven strategies implemented elsewhere, such as in Kruger National Park. Ezemvelo CEO, Sihle Mkhize, stressed that while dehorning is ‘not a panacea’, it forms part of a comprehensive approach to disincentivise poachers. “Rhino dehorning goes against the grain of what we stand for, but the persistent threat posed by poachers has necessitated more drastic measures,” he said.

The dehorning programme complements the recently approved Ezemvelo KZN Guardianship Strategy for Rhinoceros, which aims to significantly reduce poaching incidents. The strategy includes:
o Approximately R11 million from the KZN province to erect a smart fence to cover a significant portion of HiP where poaching levels are high;
o Financial support of +-R40 million from the Dept of Forestry, Fisheries, and the Environment to extend the area protected by the smart fence;
o Increasing field ranger numbers from 45 to 88 and improving ranger living conditions;
o Installing trackers in all vehicles;
o Improving relations with adjacent communities;
o Additional helicopter hours with night vision capability;
o The appointment of Sthembiso Ndlovu as the Senior Manager: Rhino Protection

To ensure that the dehorning process is as fast and as safe as possible, STIHL SA has donated equipment to WWF South Africa to support this cause, including eight high-powered chainsaws, sharpeners and protective chainsaw pants to be worn by those doing the dehorning.

“If removing their horns is the only way we can save the lives of our magnificent rhinos, then it has to be done, albeit with a sense of sadness,” says STIHL managing director, Hayden Hutton. “We are humbled to be able to play a part in this project, undertaken in such tragic circumstances. We hope this will ensure the survival of this species so that the next generation of humans is able to see rhinos in their natural environment - not only in picture books.”

Preparing a rhino for dehorning in Hluhluwe iMfolozi Park, KwaZulu-Natal. The aim is to deter poachers.

Baboon business like a hornet’s nest

Chacma baboon … partial to chewing the bark of pine trees (Photo courtesy Justin O’Riain).

Baboons vs forestry is a highly controversial topic that can be likened to a hornet’s nest. It’s best left alone, because when it is disturbed it tends to explode and cause an almighty furore.

At the moment things have been fairly quiet on the home front, but the problem has not gone away. In fact baboon damage to commercial pines – and now eucalypts – is steadily rising (mainly in Mpumalanga province in South Africa) as bark chewing among plantation dwelling baboons spreads from troop to troop, and from generation to generation.

A recent webinar hosted by FAO, FABI and FISNA (Forest Invasive Species Network for Africa) put this controversial topic into the spotlight.

While research into understanding baboon behaviour is ongoing in South Africa, there are still big question marks around why exactly baboons chew bark, and how to reduce baboon damage in commercial plantations in a primate-friendly manner?

Causes of bark chewing among plantation dwelling baboons cannot be attributed to a single overriding factor, but is more likely a combination of several factors, according to researchers:-

Baboon damage on a harvested pine tree, Mpumalanga.

According to ICFR researcher Ilaria Germishuizen, the average troop size in Mpumalanga plantations is 42 individuals. The average troop size in adjacent natural forests is 18. It seems therefore that chacma baboons are becoming increasingly well adapted to living in plantations. This is not good news for plantation owners as the damage to growing trees increases. For example, up to 87% of trees in one plot being monitored as part of the research was damaged by baboons. This activity threatens some 60% of pine trees growing in South Africa.

The bigger trees in a stand are more likely to be chewed by baboons, while the damage to the bark impacts negatively on the growth of the tree. In extreme cases the timber from chewed trees is of such poor quality that it cannot be utilised – even for pulp.

How to reduce baboon damage to plantations is another ongoing debate with few primate-friendly solutions on the radar. I say ‘primate-friendly’ because many South African farmers with high value nut and fruit orchards simply shoot any baboon that sets foot on their farm. End of problem. This is not a viable option for forestry which is under much more intense scrutiny from members of the public and especially environmentalists. Chacma baboons are not a protected species so they are not well protected by the law.

Bark chewing in Argentina

Valentin Zarate, a PhD student at the Instituto de Biologica Subtropical at UnaM University, Argentina, provided some interesting info about Capuchin monkeys chewing the bark of pine trees in Argentina, causing extensive damage. Their research has shown that it may be a fall-back food resource for Capuchins when other food resources are scarce – e.g. in winter and early spring.

Capuchin monkey (Photo: Dennis Jarvis, Creative Commons).

Forest owners in Argentina are providing supplementary food for Capuchins on feeding platforms during winter and spring months in an effort to keep them away from plantations, which is apparently showing some promise in reducing tree damage in that territory.

The ICFR is doing on-going work on monitoring baboon damage in Mpumalanga plantations, gaining a better understanding of baboons behaviour and mapping baboon damage hotspots.

But one gets the feeling that sooner or later someone is going kick over a hornet’s nest, and baboons and forestry will be in the limelight again.

Natural forests combat non-native tree invasions

The native biodiversity of natural forest patches like this one in the foreground play a crucial role in buffering against invasions by non-native plants and trees, while the non-native eucalypt plantation in the background provides the timber resource for countless products. Good land management is required to ensure that the non-native eucalypts fulfil their function, while the natural forest, which harbours the biodiversity that underpins a healthy landscape, needs to be carefully protected.

A new study, published recently in Nature, has found that the native biodiversity of natural forests largely buffers the severity of non-native tree invasions.

The bad news, however, is that humans remain mostly responsible for introducing non-native tree species to an area in the first place – either intentionally or accidentally.

These are two of the key findings from a global study to determine the relative importance of human activity, environmental conditions, and biological diversity as drivers of tree invasions worldwide. The study, titled “Native diversity buffers against severity of non-native tree invasions” was published in the journal Nature on Wednesday, 23 August 2023.

Prof. Cang Hui, holder of the South African research chair in mathematical and theoretical physical biosciences at Stellenbosch University (SU), and one of the co-authors of the study as part of the Global Forest Biodiversity Initiative (GFBI), says trees are exposed to a wide range of ecological and human factors, and tree invasions are both drivers and passengers of global environmental changes.

This is because of their size, long life span and important role in forestry, foraging, city landscaping and reforestation, as well as carbon sequestration and climate regulation. Yet invasion biologists have long been struggling to identify the ecological mechanisms driving the invasion success of a small portion of non-native tree species.

Their findings support the biotic resistance hypothesis, which holds that greater diversity in the native community will fill the ecological niches and reduce available resources, thereby limiting non-native species to take up niche spaces.

The prominent role of human activities, however, came as a surprise: “Our findings suggest that human activity may overwhelm ecological drivers of invasions and even reduce the influence of ecological processes,” he warns.

Three of the most frequent non-native trees in the GFBI database (left to right) Black Locust; Osage orange; Tree of Heaven (Photos courtesy iNaturalist, Dave Richardson, Rosario, and Gehardt).

Repeated human introductions of plant species, especially close to ports and airports, play an important role in the initial introduction process. The severity of the invasion, however, is predominantly a result of the intrinsic diversity of the native community.

It is therefore important to conserve natural forests to maintain high native tree diversity, they write in the paper.

Furthermore, because many tree species are introduced purposefully for forestry or to support local livelihoods, they recommend that local stakeholders are included when making decisions about how best to benefit from these managed forests.

Some of the other findings include:

Read the full article here: Delavaux et al. (2023) Native diversity buffers against severity of non-native tree invasions

Help protect natural forest & save the Cape Parrot

World Parrot Day, celebrated on 31 May 2023, puts the spotlight on the critically endangered Cape Parrot, colourful resident of South Africa’s Afromontane southern mistbelt forests. There are less than 2 000 Cape Parrots left in the wild as their habitat has been eroded by the consequences of extensive, uncontrolled logging in the past, on-going forest degradation, disease and the illegal capture of wild birds for sale.

Now communities, businesses and members of the public can get behind the Wild Bird Trust’s Cape Parrot Project to help protect and expand the natural forest habitats of this iconic bird in an effort to ensure its long term survival.

The current distribution of the Cape Parrot is restricted to a mosaic of Afromontane Southern Mistbelt forests from Hogsback in the Eastern Cape through to the southern KwaZulu-Natal. There is also a small and disjunct population in Limpopo province. Cape Parrots are dependent upon large indigenous trees, particularly Yellowwoods, for food and as nesting sites, where they use existing cavities to lay eggs.

The uncontrolled logging of these natural forests that started in the 19th century would have had a huge impact on the Cape Parrot population as mature hardwoods – especially yellowwoods - were targeted for felling. These natural forest patches are now protected for conservation purposes and logging is outlawed, but the forests are still under pressure from population growth and land use changes.

The Cape Parrot is also known as the Knysna papagaai, woudpapagaai (Afrikaans), isiKwenene (Zulu). isikhwenene (Xhosa) and hokwe (Tswana). It is only found in South Africa and has been listed as Birdlife’s Bird of the Year for 2023.

To ensure this species does not go extinct, the Cape Parrot Project is engaging with communities, organisations and the public to raise awareness of the threats the bird is facing and to educate people on how to maintain a healthy habitat for the parrot. The goal is a sustainable ecosystem for not just the parrots, but all the forest species and for surrounding communities.

The Cape Parrot Project team uses research and science to drive conservation action. A key strategy is to partner with local communities to get involved in habitat restoration. Alien vegetation is managed to assist natural forest regeneration, and planting of indigenous species is undertaken where appropriate.
Seeds are collected from a variety of local indigenous trees in the nearby forests and germinated in compost. Thousands of indigenous tree saplings are produced in community-run nurseries located close to the forests as well as the main nursery at the project base in Hogsback.

“Community members are encouraged to grow seedlings which the project then buys back. These seedlings are planted back into appropriate degraded forest habitat. Thus, the Cape Parrot Project strengthens local social-ecological resilience through creating livelihood opportunities in local communities that are dependent on a healthy ecosystem and their surrounding indigenous forest,” said Dr Francis Brooke, Research Manager for the Cape Parrot Project in Hogsback.

The project also engages with local schools encouraging children to become agents of positive environmental change, and to increase their appreciation for the indigenous forests and all the species that call these forests home.

By restoring the health of the natural forest patches, the project also contributes to mitigating the impacts of climate change and supporting local communities. Natural forests sequester significant amounts of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and provide a suite of ecological services like improving air and water quality and protecting biodiversity.

Dr Kirsten Wimberger, Director of the Cape Parrot Project, said: “The restoration of forests campaign - Myforest - will be launched on World Parrot Day, 31 May, where the public can get involved by helping to protect the Cape Parrot and demonstrate their commitment to conservation in South Africa”.

As a partner of the Cape Parrot Project, participating companies can build on their sustainability portfolio while also raising awareness about the project. The Cape Parrot Project has a growing and dedicated following on social media, including conservationists, bird enthusiasts, and individuals who care about environmental issues. By partnering with the Cape Parrot Project, companies can pride themselves on adopting a social responsibility program that is making a difference and do their bit for the planet.

For more info visit www.wildbirdtrust.com

Cape parrots ahoy!!
by Chris Chapman
Passing through the tiny town of Creighton in southern KZN early one morning, my colleague James Ballantyne suddenly shouted “Cape parrots” and pulled over onto the side of the road to get a better look.

I could see a flock of birds disappearing over a nearby hill, but couldn’t make out what they were.

“Definitely Cape parrots,” said James. “Let's follow them and see where they go.”

With that he jumped back in the car and off we went in the general direction that the flock appeared to be taking, which was the opposite direction of our field day location. I was not convinced that this wild goose chase would yield anything of interest, and I was not aware that we even had a proper parrot in South Africa.

Soon we came to a clump of large yellowwoods just outside the town and James pulled over again. Sure enough there they were, barely discernible against the glare of the sky, high up in the canopy. I managed to get a photo of one of these parrots, and only when I got back home and enlarged the photo could I make it out properly.

Now I am a fan of the Knysna papagaai and keep an eye out for them whenever I am around a natural forest – although I haven’t seen one since. But I will keep looking!

My photo of the Knysna papagaai, high up in a yellowwood outside Creighton, southern KZN.

Clearing alien invasive trees from Cape mountains

The Husqvarna crew that assisted the Helihack team to clear alien trees from the Langeberg mountains wilderness area, in celebration of Earth Day on 22 April: (L to R) Charles Henderson, Pieter Smuts, Johan Kruger, Larry Morris, Divan Vermaak and Wynand Lombaard.

A collaborative initiative between Cape Nature, Helihack, Husqvarna, local landowners and other interested parties, was launched in mid-April to clear invasive pine trees from the Langeberg mountain range, a UNESCO World Heritage site in the Western Cape’s Bosmansbos wilderness area.

The project, which coincided with Earth Day on 22nd April, aimed to clear alien vegetation which has invaded this remote wilderness area and poses a serious threat to its biodiversity.

“Husqvarna supports many conservation efforts in South Africa and we first became involved with Helihack two years ago,” commented Divan Vermaak, Husqvarna’s Veld Management Specialist. “This was in response to their innovative approach towards the sustainable management of water resources through the elimination of invasive pine trees in the province’s remote mountain catchment areas. As champions of sustainable land (veld) management, we understand that no single organisation can achieve this goal alone. Husqvarna, therefore, put its weight behind this latest Helihack project by sending in a team and equipment to assist.”

Vermaak explains that because water management falls within the veld management spectrum of their business, they have been very fortunate to participate in a couple of previous Helihack projects, supplying PPE and equipment to make the mountaineers’ jobs easier.

“During a Helihack operation, experienced volunteers are suspended from helicopters and dropped with their chainsaws onto remote mountain tops where they clear invasive pines and other alien plant species,” he explains.

Preparing to be lowered onto a mountain top to clear alien vegetation.

Over the two or three days of the undertaking, the group cut down some 5 000 trees.

Teams of volunteers were airlifted to specific locations on the Langeberg mountain range, braving rugged terrain and harsh weather conditions. Relying on each other's expertise and support they were able to successfully clear the invasive pines and other vegetation threatening the delicate ecosystem and help to restore this World Heritage Site to its natural state.

Working in this remote environment, the battery-powered Husqvarna chainsaws were pushed to the limit by the Helihack team.

“The Helihack team has been testing our battery-operated chainsaws to see how they handle this type of work, and the feedback has been great,” says Vermaak. “As a result, Husqvarna sponsored a battery-operated chainsaw as well as training on the safe use of this equipment.”

Michael Raimondo said that the battery-operated chainsaws have proved to be a game changer for the Heliack team as they are light, reliable and easy to operate.

“We have to work very quickly and the battery-operated chainsaws are light and reliable which saves time and energy,” said Michael. “Made for purpose, you can flip off one battery and put on another, even while dangling from a rope with your chainsaw next to you. With just two batteries, you can operate the chainsaw all day.”

Raimondo added that when working in wilderness areas, quiet is better than noisy and the battery-operated chainsaw really delivered in this regard. The battery-operated chainsaws were backed up by the Husqvarna petrol-powered chainsaws which were used to clear the larger trees.

“Through our successful partnership with Helihack in collaboration with all the other stakeholders involved, we have demonstrated the incredible impact and success that can be achieved when people work together towards a common vision,” concluded Vermaak.

For more info about Husqvarna chainsaws visit www.husqvarna.co.za