Mbona Mountain Estate - Letter to DWAF
Dear Sir/Madam,
As a member of the afforestation (industrial tree plantation) permit review panel of
KwaZulu-Natal during the past two years, I have become familiar with the many issues
around the business of tree farming. In my private capacity I am also Chairman of the
Board of Mbona Mt. Estate in the midlands of KwaZulu-Natal. This estate is run as a
nature/recreation area but we also have small timber plantations. I am therefore familiar
with the timber business.
Wearing my conservation hat I am acutely aware of the serious impact being made by both
plantations and alien invasive trees on the natural grasslands of our Country and those of
KwaZulu-Natal in particular. There is no doubt that plantations of alien trees destroy the
bio-diversity of our natural grasslands and several of our grassland veld-types are
seriously threatened with extinction. I believe a strong case can be made for a moratorium
being placed on the conversion of our remaining natural grasslands to other forms of
land-use that destroy the bio-diversity of these natural systems.
I know there is a growing demand for timber and I fully accept that timber plantations in
the right areas is a valid and preferred form of land-use. I know all the benefits that
timber has for the future of South Africa and I accept this. What concerns me most of all
however is the growing extent of alien invasive trees such as Black Wattle, Eucalyptus
spp., Pines, Blackwood and several others.
On Mbona we have many areas that have been invaded by the above species. These areas are
not formal plantations, have not been permitted, are not known to the DWAF officials, are
not included in the calculations for stream flow reduction within quarternary catchments,
are however using water and are impacting on valuable bio-diversity. The total extent of
such areas in South Africa is 1.65million ha. (C.S.I.R. survey calculation). Such areas
therefore exceed the total extent of formal permitted plantations which we are told cover
1.5million ha. (timber industry calculation). In view of the above facts it appears to me
that every effort should be made to convert this 1.65million ha. of invasive alien timber
into either formal plantations (well managed) or back to natural areas (particularly those
areas along sensitive water courses and in bio-diversity "hot-spot" areas). It
may be argued that this would be such a costly exercise that a cost/benefit would not be
achieved. Our experience at Mbona Mt. Estate has proved this not to be true. Through the
harvesting of our alien invasive tree blocks (in our quest to eradicate them) we have been
able to earn valuable income through the sale of timber. This programme has also created
many jobs as well as improving water supply and bio-diversity conservation. Clearly
without the help of the "Working for Water" programme this exercise may not have
been possible. Now however with the "Working for Water" programme being put into
effect, the conversion of alien invaded areas back to formal plantations and/or natural
areas holds huge potential for solving two or more major problems in South Africa.
My plea is therefore that no further tree planting permits be issued for the conversion of
natural grasslands to tree plantation in South Africa. Through the mechanism of
T.D.R.’s (Transferable Development Rights) a land-owner of valuable natural veld can
be compensated for keeping it intact without payment from the State, the Provinces or from
private conservation funds. Such a system works in other parts of the world so there is no
reason why it should not work in South Africa. Details of this system are enclosed for
your interest. All new tree plantations should only be permitted on areas reclaimed from
alien tree invaded areas. Even if only 10% of such invaded areas were converted it would
give South Africa an additional 165 000ha. of commercial timber land which is what the
Timber Industry has been asking for. Such a programme would also create many more jobs,
bring wealth to land-owners who were previously sitting with a liability, improve water in
thousands of streams and stop the serious impact on South Africa’s great wealth of
bio-diversity.
I respectfully request that this suggestion be given serious consideration as I believe it
would result in a win-win situation for both timber plantations and bio-diversity
conservation.
Yours faithfully,
K H COOPER
Director: Conservation
