Forests and Plantations
With extensive experience in the forestry industry, we are able to provide pragmatic advice on sustainable forest management issues. Our involvement in the development and testing of a range of standards for sustainable forest management makes us well placed to assist forest companies in meeting certification requirements.
Given our sound understanding of forestry related impacts, we are also able to assist in strategic planning for new plantation establishment. This includes designing plantation layouts to cater for aspects such as fire risk and accessibility whilst still maintaining viable natural corridors and priority habitats. With a growing interest in the Green Economy, we have also been involved in initiatives aimed at identifying and prioritizing sites for indigenous afforestation programmes.
Services Offered:
- Developing best-practice guidelines for sustainable management of natural forests and plantations
- Developing forest management plans in compliance with international certification standards
- Undertaking assessments to identify areas of high conservation value in line with international best-practice
- Plantation estate planning to comply with environmental best practice
- Environmental auditing of plantation and forest management activities in line with government and international standards
- Development of integrated weed control plans and strategies to reduce infestation levels
- Assessing the current state and impacts to natural forest ecosystems
- Designing and planning carbon-offset projects
Selected Project Involvement:
- Environmental assessment of afforestation potential in KwaZulu-Natal and Mpumalanga – DWAF
- Development of a locally appropriate certification standard for the assessment and verification of levels of sustainable forest management in plantations and natural forests in South Africa – DAFF
- Conducting Criteria Indicators and Standards (CI&S) audits for sustainable forest management in three provinces, namely; Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal & Limpopo– DAFF
- Feasibility study of afforestation opportunities to stimulate local economic development – Ntabankulu Municipality
- Technical review of an HCVF assessment of Kubaan-Puak Forest Management Unit, Sarawak, Malaysia
- eThekwini Reforestation Programme – Wildlands Conservation Trust
Research Publications:
- Lawes, M; MacFarlane, D.M; Eeley, H.A.C; 2004. Forest landscape pattern in the KwaZulu-Natal midlands, South Africa: 50 years of change or stasis? Austral Ecology, Volume 29, Number 6, December 2004, pp. 613-623(11)
Memberships:
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- Member of the HCV (High Conservation Value) Resource Network Technical Panel – an international network aimed at promoting the protection of natural forests.