The Forest Policy White Paper, 2001

Contents | Chapter 1 - Introduction | Chapter 2 - Issues and Policy Statements | Chapter 3 - Institutional, Legal and Planning Arrangements | Appendix 1 | Appendix 2 | Appendix 3 | Appendix 4 | Appendix 5

October 2001

FOREWORD

The Government of the Kingdom of Swaziland has embarked on a number of initiatives and planning frameworks in pursuit of sustainable development of her people. Among these national initiatives are the Constitutional Review Commission established by His Majesty the King in 1996 to review and update the country's constitution through a participatory process with all members of the society. The report of the Constitutional Review Commission has been presented in August 2001, with recommendations for strengthening of the environmental protection and preservation of the environment for the benefit of the nation.

The National Development Strategy (NDS) is the long-term strategy and overall planning framework for the country. Departing from the NDS are short-term development strategies such as the Economic and Social Reform Agenda (ESRA) and inter-sectoral policies and legislative frameworks that guide and regulate the country's development process. The Government of the Kingdom of Swaziland has targeted as one of its goals the attainment of sustainable economic development through sound environment management policies and appropriate legislation. This is to be achieved through sustainable use of land and by equitable access to land and other natural resources with shared benefits.

Agricultural and industrial development are the cornerstones of national development. Food security, sustainable livelihoods, creation of employment opportunities, income generation and poverty alleviation are key policy elements that must be adequately addressed as essential issues in the national development process. In this regard, natural resources necessary for meeting basic human life such as land, water, soil, trees and forest, wildlife and fisheries must be used rationally to secure sustained quality of life and development of our people.

The Government of the Kingdom of Swaziland is developing and implementing policies and legislation relating to the agricultural and environment sectors. Notable among these are the National Land Policy, the National Environment Policy, the Livestock Development Policy, the National Water Policy, the National Resettlement Policy and the National Forest Policy.

The National Forest Policy intends to achieve sustainable forest management and sustainable development of all types of forests. It is the wish of Government that all stakeholders and other interested parties including traditional authorities and communities will work together in furtherance of the achievement of the forest policy objectives and goals. The forest policy elements will be translated into forest legislation and a national forestry action programme, which will define the roles and responsibilities of all stakeholders, including Government, the private sector, communities, non-governmental organisations and other interested groups.

It is my hope that the forest policy elements enshrined in this document will adequately address the issues and concerns of stakeholders. I wish to express my appreciation and gratitude on behalf of my ministry and the Swaziland Government to all stakeholders who tirelessly contributed to the preparation and production of the National Forest Policy.

MP ROY D.N. FANOURAKIS
MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND COOPERATIVES
AUGUST 2001

PREAMBLE

The need for a national forest policy for Swaziland is two fold, firstly because of the absence of an integrated and comprehensive forest policy and legislative framework to regulate forestry development and secondly because of the problems of deforestation and environment degradation as faced by the country.

Forest resources are being heavily exploited and commercialised to meet the needs of society and sustain livelihoods of rural communities and households. Harvesting of natural forests and woodlands for construction timber, poles, firewood, woodcrafts and medicinal plants has reached alarming proportions. Wattle harvesting for pulpwood export, charcoal, poles, tanbark and fuelwood has become problematic. Forest fires have increasingly devastated forests and other natural resources causing severe strain on the forest resource base. These and other problems have resulted in depletion of natural plant and animal resources of socio-economic and cultural importance. Land degradation and soil erosion have become commonly occurring phenomena and shortages of fuelwood and timber resources are on the increase.

The existing pressures are exacerbated by the need for economic development, which occurs at the expense of the conservation of the environment and the ecological balance. Economic development includes conversion of national forest and woodland by commercial agriculture, human settlement, road construction, urban and industrial development, which all contributes to deforestation and the overall degradation of forests and other natural resources.

National development has to be co-ordinated in order to minimise the conflict of interests and the resultant adverse effects on the natural resource base. National resources, of which trees and forests are part of, are fundamental and essential elements for meeting basic human life, while at the same time useful in supporting productive functions of national development.

It is hoped that the guiding principles and instruments enshrined in the National Forest Policy will help in solving the socio-economic and environmental problems listed above through the application and achievement of sustainable management and development of the national forest resources.