'Sustainable use of forest resources can help meet core global challenges'

Better and more sustainable use of forest resources could make a significant contribution towards meeting many of the core global challenges‚ including poverty and hunger‚ climate change and more sustainable sources of bio-products and bio-energy for human use‚ Minister of Agriculture‚ Forestry and Fisheries Senzeni Zokwana said.

Speaking at the opening of the 14th World Forestry Congress - themed “Forests and People: Investing in a Sustainable Future” - the minister on Monday said some interventions the international forestry community could make included strengthening the area of forest research and development.

“Research has shown that trees and forests have the potential to mitigate the effects of climate change.

“The international community has a role of encouraging the people of the world to plant as many trees as possible‚ particularly trees of native species and fruit trees which can provide nutrition to our communities.

Zokwana said sustainable forest management and developed could not be fully achieved without participation of local communities.

“Communities have to be at the forefront of forest conservation and protection.

“In South Africa we run the annual National Arbour Week Campaign‚ which officially ends today and which was anchored by the Presidential One Million Trees Project.

"We also recently started with the One Tree‚ One Child project‚ which are all aimed at raising awareness on the importance of trees and forests and encouraging communities to plant trees (including 70% fruit trees) to ensure food security.”

South Africa was forging ahead with promotion of sustainable forest management and development strategies. To this end‚ more than 82% of South Africa’s commercial timber plantations had received certification from the Forest Stewardship Council.

“This makes South Africa‚ a country with the highest proportional plantation area in the globe‚” said Zokwana.

“For South Africa‚ our tree planting efforts should also be seen as part of our redressing the inequalities of our past.

“On the one hand we have big cities like Johannesburg which is regarded as having one of the largest man made forests through the extensive urban forests which were planted. On the other hand‚ at the dawn of democracy in South Africa‚ we found many of our townships‚ particularly our townships‚ characterised by barren‚ treeless pieces of land.

“We have since embarked upon a number of initiatives aimed at the greening of our townships through the efforts of government‚ NGO’s and corporate support.

“The potential is clearly there to expand such programmes by tenfold and more‚ and it is my sincere hope that one of the lasting legacies of this congress will be a more comprehensive campaign to bring about the greening of our townships with trees which will change the character of our townships‚ bring shade‚ nutrition and all the associated benefits of trees to our communities.”

RDM News Wire.