Weston Agricultural College wins the Forest Rehabilitation Challenge

The Weston Agricultural College boys celebrate their victory in the tree planting challenge at Ferncliffe forest

Husqvarna recently teamed up with a conservation NGO and two prominent KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) schools to host a Forest Rehabilitation Challenge in the Ferncliffe natural forest on the edge of Pietermaritzburg.

Ferncliffe is a beautiful mist belt forest that has been heavily invaded by alien vegetation that is becoming a significant threat to biodiversity.

The challenge involved learners from Durban High School (DHS) and Weston Agricultural College competing in a tree-planting race designed to raise awareness of the need for environmental stewardship and contribute to the restoration of the Ferncliffe forest at the same time.

"We were truly touched by the enthusiasm of DHS and Weston, who signed up despite the boys' busy schedules and approaching school holidays," said Timothy Isabirye, Husqvarna South Africa's Marketing Manager.

The Husqvarna team partnered with local conservation NGO Ferncliffe Forest Wilding to host the event.

"With our sales office in Pietermaritzburg, it was natural to give back to our immediate community", explained Timothy. "And our commitment to sustainability and local environmental protection aligned perfectly with NPO Ferncliffe Forest Wilding's mission, making them the perfect partner for this initiative".

Janine Stephen, a representative from Ferncliffe Forest Wilding, said, "We were really excited when Husqvarna approached us with the idea of the challenge. Collaborating with schools and businesses like Husqvarna to protect and restore endangered mist belt forest habitat is exactly the kind of community-driven action we need in a world where so much biodiversity is threatened".

Competitive fun

In an exhilarating race, boys from each school, armed with spades and gloves provided by Husqvarna, were tasked with digging 15 holes as quickly as possible. As expected, the competitive spirit was high. Still, focusing on making a positive difference in the environment stayed at the top of everyone's mind.

In the end, it was Weston Agricultural College that emerged victorious. They earned bragging rights and a Husqvarna battery-operated leaf blower worth R10,000, including accessories for their school and a trophy to celebrate their achievement.

The DHS boys who participated in the tree planting challenge

DHS didn't go home empty-handed. They were rewarded with a R5,000 e-commerce voucher to use on the Husqvarna South Africa website. Participating learners also received a certificate recognising their contribution to this impactful initiative.

Fantastic opportunity

"This challenge was a fantastic opportunity for our learners to step up and contribute to something greater," said Barry Coskey, DHS Head of Marketing and Admissions. "At DHS, we aim to develop responsible, motivated young men with strong moral convictions, and today, they truly embodied those values".

Amber Pollock, Head of Marketing for Weston, said, "At Weston, we love embracing challenges, particularly those safeguarding our environment. We also strive to instil a strong work ethic and sense of responsibility in our learners, and this initiative provided an excellent opportunity for them to rise to the occasion."

The event has laid the foundation for what is hoped to become an annual event, expanding its reach and impact in the coming years. "This is just the beginning. We're committed to making this challenge an annual celebration where schools come together to compete and create real, lasting environmental change," Timothy concluded.

The Husqvarna Schools Forest Rehabilitation Challenge is part of the brand's sustainability and community engagement commitment.

Eastern Cape tree farmers cash in on wattle bark sales

By Lwazi Ngqwebo (NCT) and Eza Mapipa (NTE)

Eastern Cape farmer Murray Elliott red cap), NCT forester Lwazi Ngqwebo and the harvesting team with a bundle of wattle stick bark

NCT members in the Eastern Cape have seized the opportunity created by the current demand for wattle bark to utilise their timber resources more effectively.

The devastating fire that damaged infrastructure at NCT’s Richards Bay mill in September last year was a significant blow to the South African wattle industry. Wattle growers were forced to cut back on their harvesting plans because of the NCT mill’s reduced capacity to receive and chip timber.

NCT's Lwazi Ngqwebo shows the harvesting team how to bundle and tie stick bark for delivery — Good quality, mature stick bark

This inevitably impacted the wattle bark industry, which faced a reduction in the volume of bark delivered to the bark factories. But every storm cloud has a silver lining.

In the past, NCT members in the Eastern Cape would discard bark with the rest of the harvesting residue. Now they have found a way to supply stick bark to the NTE Hermannsburg Factory, with the support of NCT and NTE. This provides them with an additional source of revenue for their forest enterprises.

While multiple challenges associated with the transportation of forest raw material (timber and wattle bark) from the Eastern Cape province into Kwa-Zulu Natal (KZN) for primary processing are evergreen, enthusiastic NCT members from the Stutterheim, Komga and Elliot areas have pioneered a tough journey with bravery and success.

A well-presented load of wattle bark leaving Komga in the Eastern Cape for the 500km drive to the NTE factory in Hermannsburg, KZN — Eastern Cape farmer Murray Elliott red cap), NCT forester Lwazi Ngqwebo and the harvesting team with a bundle of wattle stick bark

Covering an average one-way distance of 550km from the loading site to the factory, these passionate growers are the first NCT members to deliver stick bark to NTE in the 2023/2024 season.

Eastern Cape farmer Murray Elliott said he is happy to help support the wattle bark Industry and is excited about being one of the first wattle growers to deliver stick bark from the Eastern Cape. Selling the bark adds significant financial value to the cash flow of wattle growers.

The NTE factory management was reported to be satisfied with the quality and presentation of the stick bark from the Eastern Cape. These growers are certainly trendsetters, and what they have achieved marks the beginning of a promising future for wattle growers in the province.

It is expected that more NCT members will be inspired by the wattle bark champions of the Eastern Cape and will follow them. Forestry is a long-term investment, and what cannot be ignored is that the journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.

With positive cash flow benefits being realised by members from this initiative, there is a solid intention to convert self-seeded wattle plantations into managed stands, providing better harvest yields in timber and bark.

Eza Mapipa of NTE (right) discusses wattle harvesting with Eastern Cape farmer Murray Elliott

De-barked wattle destined for NCT's Durban chipping factory — Eza Mapipa of NTE (right) discusses wattle harvesting with Eastern Cape farmer Murray Elliott

The Eastern Cape is a greenfield opportunity that has the potential to attract forestry investments. Land is an abundant natural resource in the province, with minimal alternative economic opportunities.

NCT and NTE representatives believe that large-scale forestry development in the province is long overdue, and the potential for selling wattle stick bark provides an added incentive.

The Eastern Cape farmers have delivered four loads of stick bark to date, and another three loads are currently in the drying sheds, where they will stay for eight weeks before they are despatched to the bark factory. Although the factories continue to prioritise fresh, same-day bark, they are equally happy to accept stick bark from further afield if it is properly harvested, dried and bundled.

The innovative Eastern Cape farmers are utilising their trucks for the 500km journey to the factory. They are making it worthwhile by securing return loads.

Another benefit of this initiative is that the wattle harvesting and bark stripping operations are done by hand. It is labour-intensive work that is helping to create much-needed jobs in the region.

Source: This article was first published in NCT’s News & Views magazine (September 2024) and was edited by Chris Chapman.

Scovia Akello wins the She Is Forestry Postgrad Award

Scovia Akello measuring leaf area in the Stellenbosch University lab

Stellenbosch University's Department of Forestry and Wood Science's Scovia Akello, a PhD student supervised by Prof Brand Wessels since 2021, won the 2024 She is Forestry Postgraduate Award.

Brand nominated Scovia for being "an integral part of the department's social fabric," for her initiative, tenacity in facing challenges, and academic excellence.

"One example relates to the equipment required for her research project. Scovia needed six imported anemometers generally used in scientific field experiments that we could not afford. After nearly six months and some engineering help, she successfully produced solar-powered anemometers with automated data back-up at less than R5000 per unit," he explained.

Solar-powered anemometers with automated data backup

"There is a good chance of bumping into Scovia in the institute for a witty chat almost any time of day or night and almost any day of the week or weekend. She is an extremely diligent and focused individual who values excellence in her work. Her PhD is well on track for completion in December 2024".

Scovia hails from Agago, a district in the northern part of Uganda. She achieved excellent results at school, earned a first-class honours degree at Makerere University Kampala, and won the Overall Best Contribution to the Program, MSc Environment and Development prize at the University of Edinburgh.

Scovia is researching how different factors, including fertilisation, irrigation, and wind (the reason she needed the anemometers), influence the density, microfibril angle and Modulus of Elasticity properties of five South African pine species and hybrids:

Pinus radiata var. radiata D. Don.
Pinus elliottii Engelm.
Pinus elliottii × Pinus caribaea var. hondurensis.
Pinus patula × Pinus tecunumanii (low elevation), and
Pinus patula × Pinus tecunumanii (high elevation).

She is conducting the research on very young (less than three years) trees and "treenagers" in a 13-year-old plantation.

"The award is an honour and a humbling privilege’," Scovia said in her acceptance address. "Thank you, Prof Brand, for taking me as one of your postgraduate students. Your guidance, support, and encouragement have been pivotal to my journey. Thank you to the department for creating a conducive environment for postgrad students and being consistent accountability partners for us".

SP, TimberPro harvesting equipment demo impresses

*Checking out the big SP 761LF head, attached to a TimberPro TL 725D tracked, levelling harvester.*

A forwarder carrying a 20-ton plus load of pine logs down a 50% slope drew gasps from a group of experienced foresters and harvesting contractors attending a field day in the KZN midlands recently.

The forwarder was a TimberPro TF 840D, distributed and supported in South Africa by Zululand-based Logmech. The occasion was a field day hosted by Logmech on Sappi’s Clan plantation in the KZN midlands, the highlight of which was this demonstration of the TimberPro forwarder’s supreme power and balance.

When the highly skilled and experienced forwarder operator, Enoch Mthembu, stepped out of the vehicle having safely brought the load to roadside at the bottom of the slope, the foresters and contractors in attendance broke out in spontaneous applause. Enoch was clearly surprised by this reaction, as working in such steep terrain is all in a day’s work for him.

*The forwarder confidently approaches the steepest part of the slope, with a 20 to 22 ton load on board.*

*Spontaneous applause greeted the forwarder operator, Enoch Mthembu, who brought the load safely to the extraction road.*

Sappi Clan is located on the edge of the Karkloof escarpment with a lot of steep slopes, providing the mechanised harvesting team with plenty of challenges. It also provided an ideal location for Logmech to demonstrate the flagship logging equipment in their stable, namely the TimberPro forwarders and harvesters, SP Maskiner heads and their own Logmech grabs.

The day started with a static display showcasing the iconic red SP heads that are well known in South African forestry, and the MF42 and big MF86 grabs which the Logmech engineering team has developed specifically for the African market.

Also on display was Oregon equipment including saw chains, guide bars and sprockets.

The first stop was the TimberPro forwarder doing its thing on a ridiculously steep slope that did not look do-able. But the TimberPro forwarder, with a load of around 20 to 22 tonnes of pine logs on board, handled it with apparent ease with experienced operator Enoch Mthembu at the controls. A set of chains on the bunk wheels provided extra traction.

*Foresters and contractors at the field day give the TimberPro forwarder the once-over. Note the wide bunk which gives the forwarder a low centre of gravity, maximising stability.*

This demo should come with a cautionary advisory: don’t try this unless you have a machine like the TimberPro and an operator with the skill and experience of Enoch!

Next up was a demo by a tracked, levelling, purpose-built TimberPro harvester TL 725D, equipped with a big SP 761LF head. It operated efficiently on a steepish slope, felling, de-limbing and cross-cutting some pretty big pine trees with speed and precision.

Then it was on to a flatter compartment where the iconic SP 591LX, attached to a Hitachi excavator, was put through its paces. As Anders Gannerud of Swedish manufacturers SP explained, the 591LX is the head that put them on the map. It was developed in close collaboration with the Logmech team over many years, and is perfectly adapted to conditions in southern Africa. Productive, easy to maintain and tough as nails, the 591 has proved its worth and is now also widely used in some of the vast Eucalyptus plantations of South America.

SP 591LX head attached to a Hitachi excavator harvesting pine in the Karkloof.

Logmech’s Leon van Eeden said that the company has been operating in South Africa for 23 years, and they have been distributing and supporting SP heads since the very beginning. They carry a huge spare parts inventory, they know the heads inside out and are able to provide the back-up to ensure they keep working productively for thousands and thousands of hours. Logmech has sold 140 SP heads in the region to date.

They are also sole distributors in South Africa of the highly versatile TimberPro range of machines which include wheeled and tracked harvesters, feller bunchers and forwarders. The TimberPro’s are manufactured in the USA and are renowned for their durability, productivity and power. They are relatively simple machines to operate, are easy to maintain and are therefore well suited to rugged African conditions.

*Leon van Eeden of Logmech (right) provides info on the SP heads.*

The TimberPro’s come standard with 360° continuous rotation, allowing the operator to work effectively all around the machine. They are highly versatile and can be used as combo machines as they are equipped with a quick detached boom to allow conversion from a forwarder to a harvester.

The Logmech team has also launched a range of grabs which they have developed in partnership with an international manufacturer.

The field day was well attended by leading contractors and technical foresters who expressed their appreciation for the opportunity to see the harvesting equipment in action.

For more info on Logmech, TimberPro and SP heads in South Africa, visit www.logmech.co.za

*The TimberPro harvester doing the business in the Karkloof.*

Anders Gannerud of SP Maskiner, the Swedish manufacturers of the SP heads, explains the ins and outs of the 4th generation SP 591LX that has been developed in close collaboration with the Logmech team.

*The SP 591LX, attached to a Hitachi excavator, churning out cut-to-length pine logs.*

*Cut-to-length pine logs harvested by the SP 591LX.*

*The TimberPro forwarder loads up at the top of the slope.*

Vergelegen plants trees for tomorrow

Vergelegen Wine Estate, a Western Cape heritage site in Somerset West, is renowned for multiple sustainability initiatives, and during Arbor Week, staff from all divisions, from pastry chefs to vineyard workers, gathered to plant 200 trees.

The estate is committed to planting 1000 trees yearly in the vast 54-hectare arboretum, gardens, and other areas where fallen trees need to be replaced.

Ricardo Soetsenberg from the vineyard team

Nature is in a constant state of flux. Several of Vergelegen’s trees – despite considerable research, investment and collaboration with leading universities and tree experts – have been lost due to the destructive polyphagous shot hole borer beetle.

In addition, the estate is in an area prone to strong winds. An intense low-pressure system in April led to gale-force winds, which toppled 120 large trees in the 60-hectare cultural heritage area.

Vergelegen gardens manager Richard Arm selected resilient species for the Arbor Week planting. These included South Africa’s national tree, real yellowwood (Podocarpus latifolius), milkwood (Sideroxylon inerme), water oak (Quercus nigra) and turkey oak (Quercus cerris).

Vergelegen's Dorothea Willemse from the wine tasting centre and Carlo Jackson from the gardens team rooting for the future

Vergelegen has planted 626 trees this year, and Arm is confident that the target will be surpassed. He says some of the estate’s trees go back centuries, like an Outeniqua yellowwood, a hollow old English oak, an ancient white mulberry, and five enormous camphor trees in front of the homestead, which were proclaimed national monuments in 1942.

Wildfires cause havoc in KZN

*A sorry sight … a fine pine compartment burnt in the Karkloof fire.*

Wildfire season has kicked off with a bang in the KwaZulu-Natal midlands with a number of destructive fires that have claimed the lives of 14 people, destroyed dozens of homes and equipment and damaged thousands of hectares of commercial forestry and agricultural land, not to mention the loss of livestock and wildlife.

According to Simon Thomas of the KZN FPA, the number and severity of wildfires in the province has escalated during July due to high fuel loads and extremely hot and dry conditions prevailing across the region.

A wildfire that broke out near Boston in mid-July resulted in the death of seven firefighters who were caught in the flames when the wind suddenly changed direction. Three of the firefighters died on the scene, and four more died later from their injuries.

*The firebreak between the pine plantation (right) and the property on the left was hopelessly inadequate and failed to stop the spread of the fire.*

Reports have also come through of the recent death of a forester in the Ixopo area who was severely burnt when the wind changed direction causing a controlled burn to run out of control.

Sunday 7th July was another high fire danger day with a number of fires breaking out in Mooi River and Karkloof areas of the midlands. The Mooi River fire reportedly burnt a lot of forestry and conservation land around Mount Gilboa, and another fire in Karkloof that started up later that night burnt through a pine plantation as well as several smallholder farms.

The Zululand coastal area has been fairly quiet, but there have been some big fires in the Melmoth area, also in early July.

Simon says that land managers and fire fighters across the province are on high alert as the hot and dry conditions are continuing. He said that the weather forecast for the weeks ahead are very uncertain, but that there are hopes that early spring rains could bring some relief by mid-September.

In most cases the exact cause of the fires is very difficult to determine, but fingers have been pointed at deliberate arson fires. This seems to be the cause of the Karkloof fire as the ignition point is clearly identifiable in the landscape. According to local people there was no lightning on the day of the fire to cause ignition, and the Mooi River fire was too far away to have caused spotting.

Local smallholders in the area say that the fire breaks prepared by the plantation managers are hopelessly inadequate and did not prevent the fire – which was fanned by winds up to 70 km per hour - from entering their adjacent properties. Three dwellings were also destroyed in the blaze.

*Greg Gardiner surveys the wreckage of his family home that was burnt to the ground in the Karkloof fire.*

*The remains of Greg Gardiner’s water tanks, destroyed by the wildfire.*

Poachers have been fingered for starting the Boston fire. Apparently the poachers light the bush to drive out the animals so that they can hunt them down, and then the fire gets away.

Land managers are urged to be alert so that they can respond quickly to any fires starting on their properties. It is much easier to put out a fire when it is still small than it is to tackle a fire that is running out of control.

Members of the public are also urged to be vigilant, and to not start any fires in the open – especially on high fire danger days.

All landowners in fire-prone rural areas should be members of the local fire protection association, which are there to provide assistance and support throughout the fire season.

Zanele Nkhosi - SAFCOL Machine Operator

In a new series of videos, She Is Forestry SA profiles women who have had fascinating journeys and careers in forestry. These videos serve to inspire women to pursue careers in the forestry sector and educate the public on the wide variety of interesting roles and avenues that exist in the forestry value chain.

Women's Month is an ideal time to share these stories and celebrate the roles that women play in the industry, challenging stereotapes and bringing unique skills to every facet of the industry.

Zanele Nkhosi shares her forestry journey from general worker to machine operator, hoping this will inspire others to follow in her footsteps...

Smart software from CMO streamlines EUDR compliance

*Daniel von Heynitz, Chief Technology Officer at CMO, rolling out Tracer in Vietnam.*

The European Union's Regulation on Deforestation-free Products (EUDR) marks a significant step in the global effort to combat deforestation and promote sustainable forestry practices. Enacted to ensure that products entering the EU market do not contribute to deforestation, this regulation imposes strict due diligence requirements on companies producing or trading in forest products. It affects the entire forestry sector - regardless of the country of origin.

By mandating traceability and verification of supply chains, the regulation aims to reduce the environmental impact of forestry operations and promote more responsible land-use practices worldwide. This policy not only influences producers and exporters in deforestation-prone regions but also reshapes the economic and operational landscape for forestry businesses globally, emphasising the importance of sustainability in international trade.

Achieving compliance with EUDR is a complex challenge, but CMO, a leading forestry software and services provider, has developed software platforms that streamline these processes, making them more accessible and manageable for businesses.

CMO offers a comprehensive suite of services designed to meet the diverse needs of smallholders, commercial forestry companies, and the broader supply chain, with a strong focus on compliance with the EUDR. CMO tailors solutions to ensure adherence to all major certification requirements, including Forest Stewardship Council (FSC^TM) and Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC) standards, alongside EUDR compliance.

*Michal Brink of CMO doing an FSC Group audit on small-scale growers in the Eastern Cape, South Africa.*

Empower is a comprehensive sustainability command centre developed to oversee and enhance a business’ compliance efforts. The principal aim was to create tech for smallholders to plan and control their farming practices. To this end, Empower gives the smallholder full control over their tree plot, with a clear picture of the standing volume of the trees planted and thus when best to harvest them.

One of its most notable features is the efficient onboarding of members, which simplifies the integration of new users into the system and ensures that all stakeholders are aligned with sustainability goals from the outset. Additionally, Empower facilitates comprehensive on-site audits, allowing organisations to conduct thorough evaluations of practices and processes to ensure adherence to established standards.

*FSC/EUDR group scheme members onboarded by CMO Thailand with Empower.*

Continuous improvement
The application also includes an Action Log, a vital tool for addressing and closing non-compliances swiftly. This feature helps in identifying areas that require improvement and provides a structured approach to managing corrective actions, thereby fostering continuous improvement. Moreover, Empower’s capability to manage stakeholders both nationally and locally ensures that all stakeholders are engaged and informed, thus promoting a coordinated approach to sustainability.

Empower becomes even more powerful when paired with Tracer, a tool that maps supply chains and monitors volumes and commodity movements in real-time. Together, they promote efficiency and transparency.

*Smallholders in Thailand get to grips with Empower.*

Tracer captures detailed product information, supplier data, and coordinates throughout the supply chain, providing a complete overview of the entire production and distribution process. This level of detail is crucial for generating accurate and reliable reports, particularly for the EUDR due diligence statements, ensuring full compliance with the stringent regulatory requirements.

Over the past year, CMO has collaborated with Weber & Schaer (W&S) in Germany, the Sabah Rubber Industry Board (SIRB) in Malaysia, and the Rubber Authority of Thailand (RAOT) to promote sustainability practices and certification within the rubber industry. This partnership leverages CMO's Empower software to enhance sustainable practices and ensure compliance with industry standards.

In Vietnam, CMO has just concluded a successful trial for CMO Tracer in partnership with W&S in June and July 2024. The trial has allowed the first shipment of EUDR-compliant rubber to be sent to the USA. The users appreciated the simplicity of the new application, but also supplied valuable feedback around usability and language optimisation. The application was quickly adopted by the various processing plants that took part in the pilot project.

The CMO team, which has used its extensive knowledge and experience in forestry and certification to develop their software toolbox, are looking forward to scaling their EUDR solution for the benefit of the whole southern African forest industry – particularly where commercial farmers and smallholders are involved in the supply chain.

Braecroft Timbers receives top forest management award

Celebrating the award of the Bushbuck Trophy are (left to right) Jaap Van den Berg, Logistics, Fibre and Resources Manager, Sappi; Sihle Ndlovu, Forester, Braecroft & CHEP SSA; Gordon McKenzie, Senior Manager, Forestry, Braecroft & CHEP SSA; Axel Jooste, Sappi FSC Group Scheme Manager.

Braecroft Timbers (a wholly owned subsidiary of CHEP South Africa) has received the top award for sustainable forestry management practices in their South African plantations from the Sappi FSC Group Scheme.

The Bushbuck Trophy was awarded to Braecroft Timbers recently in recognition for their exemplary sustainable forestry management practises. The company operates 18 plantations in South Africa with a total of 7 500 ha planted to pine species. The timber harvested on these plantations is used to manufacture and repair CHEP pallets that are widely used in the transport and logistics sector. The farms are located in the Bulwer / Underberg district and are within 90 kms of CHEP’s Weatherboard Sawmill. They are managed by Forestry Manager Gordon McKenzie and a team of experienced foresters.

Braecroft Timbers has been a member of the Sappi FSC Group Scheme for the past 14 years, and has been the recipient of multiple awards acknowledging the organisation’s commitment to responsible forestry management practices.

The Sappi FSC Group scheme is part of the Forest Stewardship Council’s global network, which represents thousands of individual and member organisations committed to upholding forestry practices that safeguard and promote healthy, resilient forests worldwide. The Sappi FSC Group Scheme’s annual Member of the Year Award recipients are selected based on a yearly audit which measures compliance to FSC standards, and celebrates responsible forest management.

Braecroft Timbers first received the KwaZulu-Natal Award in 2014 and claimed the Overall Winner of the Bushbuck Trophy the following year. The organisation won the KZN Award again in 2017, and this year claimed the Overall Winners award for the second time.

*CHEP pallets under construction at the Weatherboard Sawmill, KZN midlands.*

"Winning this prestigious award from the Sappi Group Scheme reflects the effort our teams at Braecroft Timbers and CHEP put in to maintain the highest standards of forestry management," says Gordon McKenzie, Senior Manager, Braecroft Forestry. "This award demonstrates our commitment to help transform the timber supply chain in all markets we operate in by driving demand for sustainably sourced timber and responsible, regenerative forest management."

Forest certification compliance is an integral part of CHEP’s forest management strategy, and it’s no surprise that Braecroft Timbers farms have achieved dual certification by both FSC and PEFC.
CHEP’s unique pooling system epitomises the circular economy, with CHEP pallets being shared and reused (not sold) by clients in FMCG, Original Equipment Manufacturers and agricultural supply chains. Today, CHEP’s humble pine pallet underpins many of the world’s supply chains.
Ownership of its own sustainable pine timber farms in South Africa has provided the company with a reliable raw material supply and eliminated the need to import timber, which is time-consuming, expensive and environmentally unsustainable.

The familiar blue CHEP pallets used to store and move goods all over the world. These pallets are never sold, they are pooled and shared and repaired and used again and again.

NCT beefs up Chain of Custody assurance

*NCT’s Roger Poole and Eric Msomi inform the growers of the strict new chain-of-custody requirements. (Photo courtesy Mfundo Ngcobo/NCT).*

Small-scale tree farming on tribal land in the KZN midlands is alive and well, as evidenced by an enthusiastic turnout at a recent NCT field day at the co-op’s Ahrens timber depot, near Greytown.

This was a combined field day hosted by NCT’s Greytown regional office for growers supplying their timber to the Glenside and Ahrens depots. Around 80 tree farmers from the surrounding areas attended the field day to hear presentations from the NCT forestry team.

The focus of the day was on the need for growers to comply with NCT’s chain-of-custody protocols which are designed to ensure that every stick of timber crossing the weighbridge at the depot is legitimate, can be traced directly back to the grower, and can be verified by NCT head office if required to do so.

The reason for the elevation of chain-of-custody assurance to ‘High Priority’ in this little corner of South Africa is the growing raft of regulations around the world that are designed to prevent any illegal or stolen timber from entering the global supply chain, and more specifically, to stop illegal logging and deforestation.

*A well lined out small grower wattle compartment, Ahrens.*

European Union Deforestation Regulation

Central to all of this is the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) which came into effect in June 2023. This regulation requires that any product placed on the market or exported from the European Union did not result in deforestation anywhere along the supply chain, and that the products have been grown, harvested or obtained in accordance with the relevant laws of the country where the production took place.

The timber grown by NCT’s small grower members around the KZN midlands and in Zululand is sold as ‘controlled wood’ either directly as wood chips to markets in China and Japan, or to the Sappi-Saiccor mill on the south coast which exports the chemical pulp it produces to markets across the world. The wood chips and pulp are further processed abroad into paper and packaging materials or fabric, much of which inevitably ends up as finished products in the European Union.

The beginning of this global supply chain goes all the way back to every NCT member tree farmer who supplies timber to one of NCT’s depots – including the small-scale growers harvesting tiny one or two ha woodlots in Matimatolo.

*The tree farmers took the news about the CoC requirements to heart. (Photo courtesy Mfundo Ngcobo/NCT).*

Certified or controlled wood

In fact this regulation impacts upon every single farmer in South Africa that grows and sells timber that is used as raw material in the manufacture of products destined for mainstream global markets. This timber must either be certified by FSC or PEFC – or both – or at the very least must be sold as ‘controlled wood’ with full assurance of the legality of the whole supply chain.

Back to the Ahrens field day where the NCT team spelled out their requirements for purchasing members’ timber delivered to the depot. NCT is busy developing an app that runs on a mobile phone which will assist the growers to provide the essential info required to comply with their chain-of custody assurance. This includes taking and uploading a photo of the timber they have harvested before it leaves their plot on the short haul journey to the NCT depot. A marketer of clothing in Stockholm or Rome might request that photo to verify that the product he is selling has legitimate origins. Failure to be able to trace that timber all the way back to the grower would result in the mill gate being shut in the face of the timber supplier.

Another area of risk for the ‘controlled wood’ requirements of growers is the short haul transport from plantation to depot. Gone are the days when any old vehicle with wheels – licensed or unlicensed – can be used to haul the timber along dusty district roads from plantation to depot. If the vehicle and the driver and the load are not fully legal and legit, it’s game over. The chain of custody is broken and the timber cannot be sold as ‘controlled wood’. The mill gate will be shut once again.

*Gone are the days of delivering timber to the depot with transport like this – Zululand circa 2008.*

The growers attending the field day took the news about beefing up their chain of custody assurance pretty well. Some had questions around the difficulties they face in arranging suitable short haul transport, or navigating the technology required to use the app. But those are just some of the challenges that are going to have to be overcome if the timber supply chain is to remain intact.