About Us

SA Forestry magazine was launched in1986 by founding editor, Roger Grafton, who ran it successfully until he sold the title to Artworks Communications in February 2006. Chris Chapman, a Director of Artworks, took over as Publishing Editor of the magazine from Roger.

Artworks was founded in 1989. It is a Durban-based graphic design, communications and publishing company providing a wide range of services to clients in the public, private and NGO sectors, specialising in corporate communications, local government, tourism, education, arts and culture, health, development and forestry.

Artworks is a 51% black owned company, and has been rated as a Level 1 contributor to BBBEE by independent agency EmpowerDex. Current members are: Chris Chapman (49%); Shakila Chetty (36%) and Phindile Mantantana (15%).

Meet the SA Forestry magazine team

Chris Chapman, SA Forestry publishing editor

Chris Chapman, editor of SA Forestry magazine

Chris is a BA graduate from the University of Natal (now the University of KwaZulu-Natal) whose journalism career began with the Natal Witness newspaper in the 1980s. After working there as a general news reporter, political features writer and editor of the supplement Echo, he moved to Caxtons where he served as managing editor of Pace magazine for four years. Thereafter, he worked as editor of Top 40 music magazine, managing editor of Black Enterprise magazine, and joined Artworks as editorial director in 1996. His interest in forestry began when he started producing communications material for Mondi in 1996. In 2006 Chris took over as editor of SA Forestry magazine, and also fulfills the role of publisher.

"What I enjoy most about publishing SA Forestry magazine is getting out into the field and meeting the people who derive their livelihood from forestry, and make the industry tick," said Chris.

"Also, the forestry industry is a microcosm of South Africa – all the key issues that our country is grappling with, are also key issues in forestry. This puts the industry in a strong position to contribute to the developmental, social and economic solutions that southern Africa needs in order to move forward and face the challenges of the 21st Century."

"My aim is to produce a magazine that can serve as an essential information resource for people involved in forestry. To achieve this I focus on publishing an editorial mix that includes innovative ideas, business opportunities, news, trends, aspirational success stories, latest research, equipment reviews, practical advice and useful info."

Phindile Mantantana, Art Director

Phindile Mantantana, Art Director for Artworks Communications

Phindile, who grew up in Umtata, Transkei, has a national diploma in graphic design from ML Sultan Technikon and has worked as a designer at Artworks since 2002.   He gives SA Forestry magazine a fresh look that is clean, corporate and reader-friendly.

Gaylene Jablonkay, Publishing Coordinator & Assistant to the Editor

Gaylene Jablonkay, Publishing Cooordinator for SA Forestry mag

Gaylene lays out the magazine and ads, and co-ordinates the editorial, production, advertising, web, social media and subscription functions.   She has a National Diploma in Journalism from Technikon Natal and has worked as a layout artist at Artworks since 1993.

Ann Nicholas, Advertising Manager

Ann Nicholas, Advertising Manager for SA Forestry mag

Ann has been with SA Forestry magazine since 1989, and knows the business inside out.   She is on first name terms with most of the advertisers and subscribers, and understands advertisers' needs and the dynamics of the market. She handles both the magazine and online advertising.

Samora Chapman, Photo-journalist

Samora is Artworks' in-house journalist and photographer. He has a BA from the University of KwaZulu-Natal and received photographic tuition as apprentice to renowned photographer Paul Weinberg. He is a regular contributor to SA Forestry magazine.

Linda Pillay, Bookkeeper

Linda is in charge of processing invoices and statements, day-to-day bookkeeping and preparing management accounts.

Regular contributors to SA Forestry magazine

A number of people contribute regular articles, including:


Dr Coert Geldenhuys, Forest Ecologist and Associate Professor in Forest Science, University of Stellenbosch.	Michal Brink, Forestry Consultant and Director of Forestry Solutions.	Rory Mack, Forestry Development Consultant.	Dumisani Shelembe, freelance journalist and translator.