The Swaziland Environment Action Plan (SEAP)

RECOMMENDED POLICY AND STRATEGY FRAMEWORK

1.6 FORESTRY

This policy is to focus solely upon forestry issues, but again guided both spatially and in principles by the recommendations within the NLEP and the RLEP. It must be noted, however, that forestry is not confined to the rural sector. Although comparatively insignificant economically, the forests that exist in both urban and peri-urban areas have important social functions which are addressed within this policy framework.

ISSUES SUMMARY

Management and environment

Inadequate management of forest resources, especially wattle and indigenous, and in particular in the urban and peri-urban areas (amenity and recreation forestry).
Lack of people's participation and responsibility in forest resource management.
Competition between forestry and other land uses.
Negative effects of plantation forestry on biodiversity and water resources.
Invasion of exotic species into indigenous forest.
Loss of tree and vegetation cover through deforestation resulting in land degradation, loss of plant and animal biodiversity.
Shortage of fuel wood in localised areas, especially in the Upper and Lower Middleveld.
Waste deposition in wattle forests and indigenous woodlands.

Exploitation

Lack of investment capital for small entrepreneurs.
Lack of forest product diversification (monoculture).
Declining economic growth and fluctuation in world market prices threatening stability and performance of forest industry.
Incomprehensive, fragmented and outdated forest legislation.
Inadequate human, financial and physical resources to implement forest policy and enforce legislation.

SUMMARY POLICY PROPOSALS

Status of Policy

Non-existent.

Broad Overall Objectives

To achieve efficient, profitable and sustainable exploitation of forest resources.
To increase the role of forestry in environmental protection, conservation of plant and animal genetic resources and rehabilitation of degraded land.

Policy Principles

Forest resources be conserved and efficiently managed for optimal sustainable economic production.
Biodiversity be sustained in the indigenous forest, woodland and savanna resources by maintaining ecosystem diversity and stability.
Plantation forestry not be permitted on land with high potential for agricultural production.

Policy Practical Elements

The forest resource inventory be maintained and changes be monitored.
Plantation forests be monitored with respect to effects on biodiversity and water resources.
Expansion of commercial plantation forests be evaluated on the basis of land suitability and environmental and socio-economic impact. Forest planning is first to determine what to leave, and then what to take.
EIA be applied to all forest planning.
Expansion of small forests and woodlots in communal areas be based on careful selection and appraisal of planning locations.
The use of indigenous species in afforestation and reforestation be promoted.
Fuelwood supply be secured by a efficient and sustainable utilization of existing wattle forests, indigenous resources and woodlots.
Appropriate forestry techniques and watershed management be applied in soil conservation and rehabilitation of degraded land.
Forestry be integrated with other land uses, such as agriculture (agroforestry), nature and wildlife preservation, eco-tourism, recreation, residential use.

Policy Supportive Elements

People's participation be recognized as a key element in the management, conservation, protection and judicious use of forest resources.
Capability in forestry planning and management be strengthened by human resource development.
Forestry research capacity be developed to generate reliable forestry information and technology relevant to Swaziland.
Public awareness and knowledge of forest resource management be increased.
An effective forestry legislation be formulated and implemented.

SUMMARY STRATEGY PROPOSALS

General strategy

To strongly promote interaction and integration of forestry, especially in planning and management, with other sectors such as crop production/agroforestry, livestock development/range management, nature conservation/eco-tourism, urban/peri-urban development, etc.
To ensure the involvement and participation of all stakeholders (local people, private sector, government and NGO's) in the management and conservation of all forest resources (especially wattle and indigenous forests).
To fully involve local communities in the design, planning and implementation of forest projects aimed at improving the supply of wood products.

Strategies related to sustainable management of forest resources

To prepare management plans for all forest operations, for specific forest sites and/or ecosystems, and include provisions on the protection and maintenance of adjacent and interconnected sites and ecosystems.
To promote and update the indigenous flora inventory and documentation in the Swaziland National Herbarium.
To classify and map vegetation and forest types, including the status of degradation, using an appropriate land cover classification system, and to evaluate and demarcate areas suitable for the various systems of forest practice such as production forests, protection and conservation forests, mixed range or multiple use forests (including agroforestry), community forests (including woodlots and wattle), establishment of botanical gardens, amenity and recreation and landscape scenery for eco-tourism.
To assess and monitor deforestation and land degradation, including the effects of veld and forest fires, and to recommend and implement remedial measures.
To eradicate invasive species from plantations and wattle forests threatening other land uses, as well as other exotic and indigenous shrubs encroaching on arable land and rangelands.
To apply appropriate silvicultural techniques and forest practices in the management of forest reserves and community forests aimed at improving the productivity of indigenous resources such as enrichment planting and buffer zone planting.
To establish regulations and practices in the management of exotic plantations amenable with sound environment protection, to ensure ecological balance and biodiversity.
To rehabilitate existing wattle plantations (jungles) through clearfelling and applying appropriate silvicultural and forest practices to improve the productivity.

Afforestation/reforestation strategy to meet local demands

To establish individual and community woodlots of exotic and preferably indigenous species to provide the essential forest products to meet the needs of local people and industry, further to ease pressure from the indigenous resources.
To promote efficient use of fuelwood to release pressure from indigenous reserves through economizing the rate of consumption and introducing alternative sources of energy.
To develop with local communities methods to combat veld and forest fires and reduce fire hazards.
To increase seed and seedling production, especially of indigenous species, in government nurseries as well as encourage rural communities, schools and Non-Governmental Organizations to set up and operate their own forest nurseries.

Strategy to enhance opportunities and commercialization in small-scale forestry

To promote the establishment of small business for forest contractors, harvesting, silviculture and nursery operations.
To provide incentives and support to local communities to participate in the wattle industry, focusing on production of bark for tanning, fuelwood, timber for building and fencing, pulp, etc.
To promote small-scale timber industries in the formal sector for furniture and other timber products.
To promote processing industries in the informal rural sector for the processing of wood (wattle and indigenous) and non-wood forest products such as bee-honey farming, mushrooms, silk production, vegetable tannin extraction, charcoal production, woodcarving, furniture, wild fruit farming, etc.
To seek local and external markets for large and small industries to enhance the utilization of wood and non-wood products from indigenous, wattle and exotic plantations.

Supportive and institutional strategy

To reform policy and legislation by reviewing, updating and improving the existing policy and legislation and enacting a forest act for the effective management, conservation and utilization of forest resources.
To improve the research capability by setting up a forest research facility to enhance forest technology, with emphasis on the ecology and utilization of indigenous species.
To revise the mandate of the forestry section and to consider transfer to MNRE or MTEC.
To intensify human resources development through training at all levels to improve the present capability and capacity of the government forestry service to be able to effectively implement the forest policy and enforce legislation.
To improve the government forestry capacity by providing additional financial and physical resources to efficiently undertake its duties and responsibilities.
To increase awareness and knowledge of forestry practices to farmers and general public through extension training and education by various communication methods.

KEY REFERENCE MATERIAL

GOS/MOAC 1989. Forestry Development Programme and Proposed Structure, Forestry Section.
GOS/MOAC 1992. National Forestry Research Plan.
GOS/MOAC 1990. Swazi-German Forest Inventory and Planning Project
Lasschuit, P. 1993. Rural Household Energy Strategies in Swaziland.
Meyer, K.R. 1972. Forest Industries Development in Swaziland.
Skarner, G. 1975. Forest Industries and Related Companies in Swaziland.
Stokes, J.S. 1979. Draft Swaziland Forest Legislation.

MINISTERIAL INVOLVEMENT

Predominantly MOAC, but with peripheral MNRE and MHUD involvement.