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To cut down or not to cut down a yellowwood tree?

31 January 2011

Question

We are interested in buying a property, but there is a large yellowood tree in the garden, planted close to the main dwelling. It's roots have lifted the paving and we are concerned about damage to the dwelling's foundation and walls. Is it legal to cut down the tree?
– Robert Chong

Answer

Yellowwood trees are protected under the National Forests Act, 1998, as amended, and may not be cut, damaged, destroyed or disturbed without a licence granted by the Department of Agriculture, Forestry & Fisheries (Forestry Branch) upon application in the prescribed way. The Forestry staff in the Pietermaritzburg regional office is responsible for licensing of activities regarding protected trees and must be approached for a licence, which may include an inspection of the tree before the application is granted or refused. The granting or refusal of a licence is guided by our official guidelines. The tree concerned may or may not qualify for removal in terms of those guidelines. E.g. if a tree is within one metre of a building, it can be cut. If not, and, the roots of the tree are threatening the foundations, such roots can be identified and cut at a certain point close to the building and sealed off to prevent it from growing again in that direction. A small furrow is normally sufficient to do the work, and it can be covered again. Also for such an activity a licence has to be granted, as the root is part of the tree. Paving that is lifted is mostly due to the paving being laid too close to the trunk. Paving should be kept away from the trunk, depending on the thickness of the tree, at least one metre, preferably more, to enable the tree roots to interact with the environment with regard to air, water and nutrients. The problem is that the paving is inflexible whereas the tree roots are growing larger all the time, especially close to the trunk, and therefore the paving is lifted. Lifting of paving by tree roots by itself is not a valid reason for granting a licence to remove a tree.

Especially in the time of global climate change experienced by all of us, and where trees have a mitigating influence on the effects thereof, we would discourage trees like this one to be removed, as urban environments are increasingly becoming concrete jungles, exacerbating the effects of climate change. This is an important additional reason for protecting these trees in urban environments.

I have copied this e-mail to my colleague in PMB, Wiseman Rozani, who will attend to your enquiry.

Kind regards

– Theo Stehle, Forestry Scientific/Technical Support, DAFF

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Forestry database for tendering

Question

29 January 2011

How can I be registered in a forestry database for tendering and what are the requirements?
– Lihle

Answer

It depends what kind of work you're in. You would need to contact the main forestry companies yourself and make sure you know when they advertise their tenders, and get yourself registered on their supplier databases. Sappi, Mondi, KLF, York, Merensky, NCT, Bedrock etc. There is no centralised database for forestry tenders as far as I am aware. Also you could register with one of the online tender websites, like www.onlinetenders.co.za and they will keep you posted on forestry-related tenders.

– Chris Chapman

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Market for Eucalyptus maculata and paniculata

Question

23 January 2012

We have about 8 hectares of Eucalyptus maculata and Eucalyptus paniculata mix and then a further 8 hectares of paniculata in the Nelspruit/White River area that needs to be cleared. I am strugling to find a market for it and would appreciate any assistance or suggetions. Thank you.
– Joey Lascelles

Answer

Sappi's Ngodwana mill may be interested, otherwise you could try Bedrock Mining Support, they have a sawmill in Mpumalanga. However I'm not sure if the species meets their specs.
– Chris

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Smaller type of wood debarker

29 December 2011

Question

I would like to know if there is a smaller type debarker for woods such as laths and droppers? Currently, by hand, it's just too costly (labour intensive). Please advise.
– Theo

Answer

There is a Hypro head that attaches to an ordinary tractor. It's good for smaller timber. There are a few in SA as they were distributed here a few years ago – not sure if this is still the case. They're made in Sweden I think. You should be able to check their website.

Good luck!

– Chris Chapman

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Infested white stinkwood tree

10 January 2012

Question

I live in Irene (Pta) and have a mature white stinkwood in my garden. I have recently noticed cracks in the bark of some of the main and secondary branches. The wood beneath the bark seems to be dying and shrinking (due to drying out of the dead wood). The dead/dying wood is being infested by ants and wood lice. One of the long slender branches recently broke and it seemed to be dead/rotten almost right through, even though healthy leaves were still growing at the end of the branch. Please advise what might be wrong with the tree, and if you think it can be saved. I can send photo's if required. Thank you.
– Mark Leighton

Answer

Coert Geldenhuys came to see the tree, and was very helpful.
He diagnosed three problems:
1. The tree is splitting due to water trap causing rot between the main branches growing out of the trunk.
2. Water trapped in forks between the secondary branches has caused some higher branches to rot.
3. Superficial lightning damage during the lifetime of the tree has weakened the tree (though this is not serious).

He recommended fairly severe pruning to remove the dying branches. I'm not sure if we can save it, but I'll have it pruned back first, to see how much of the tree is left. The problems could have been avoided by correct pruning earlier in the tree's life.

Thanks very much for your assistance.

– Mark Leighton

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Safeguarding an old Sneezewood tree

8 December 2011

Question

Good day,
I have a large Sneezewood tree on my property in Pinetown. I cannot measure the circumference of the trunk, nor the height but neighbours estimate the tree's age at something well over 50/60 years. I love the tree and want to keep it healthy, but need to know what is the average lifespan of these trees? I have noted a lot of small black ants in the bark, and I understand the tree does not easily succumb to white ants, but I want to be sure to safeguard the tree and my property from damage.

– Sheila Brown

Answer

Sneezewood (Ptaeroxylon obliquum) is quite a hardy tree but cannot deal with shade. I have seen some very big trees of over 1.2 cm stem diameter in the Amathole forests (Eastern Cape) and in the Mzimkulu forests. So they can get very old. I have also seen many smaller trees in drier areas often as scrubby, multi-stemmed trees, and they may be very old but small. In a planted stand at Kentani (between East London and Mthatha), a stand of Sneezewood was planted around 1900, and when I measured them, they were about 88 years old with the mean stem diameter of the 2000 measured trees as 10.8 cm (ranging up to about 30 cm stem diameter – the details are in the SA Forestry Magazine issue of February 2010. So the size and growth rate of this species is very dependent on the site conditions. We do not have enough growth data for this species in our long-term forest growth plots, and it is therefore difficult to cacluate the age of a tree of a specific stem diameter, but they can be very old.

Any tree under stress will be attacked by insects and fungi – if your tree is growing in a good spot with enough light from the top and with good drainage of the soil, then it could be killed easily by insects or fungi. However, often there are insects or fungi present, but maybe just use the tree as habitat and not as food source. Usually one can first notice this with the foliage when the tree is in full leaf cover (it is deciduous and may be without leaves some time of the year – dry time – you could check this from your garden). So if the endpoint of the twigs start to die back, then you could consider the tree to be suffering – but this would a secondary response to some primary effect on health of either too dense overhead tree cover of other trees or poor drainage of the soil.

– Dr Coert Geldenhuys, Forest Ecologist

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Invasive trees needed for sawmill

14 October 2011

Question

I would like to get into contact with people who would supply me with logs 2.4 to 3.1 in diameter 0.35 to 6.5. Can be pine, eucaluptus, cedar, Melanoxlin, and other invasive trees. I have a small mill requiring about 200 tons per month and I am situated in Putfontein (Benoni) and Isando (Germiston) Gauteng. This could be an opportunity for tree fellers as well as farmers who would like to add value to their timber.
- Allan Freedman

Answer

Perhaps your best bet would be to try to get in touch with small timber growers as close as possible to Putfontein, probably in Mpumalanga Lowveld (on the way to Sabie). Forestry SA (033 346 0344) might be able to help, otherwise try the Working on Water programme – they are busy removing alien vegetation and may be able to help. Otherwise this website may attract a response. What about putting notices up at your local Stihl and Husqvarna dealerships? Tthe timber contractors are in and out of there getting their chainsaws sorted.
Good luck
- Chris Chapman

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Methods used for analysis

14 October 2011

Question

Hi, I am curently doing research on a topic "The response of vegetation on a mulched compartment compared to a burnt compartment" and I have been struggling with getting a sense of direction as to how to go about to do infield studies or analyses that might help with my report. I need evaluations that are practical that will help me compare the two and find the most reliable when it comes to vigorous growth on both sites.

- Sphelele, 2nd year forestry student, Saasveld.

Answer

I think the ICFR, based at the University of KZN (PmB) has done some research on that. Check out their website (see our Links page).

You might also like to liaise with Steve Glutz of Enviro Mulch (steveg@internext.co.za) he sells Ahwi mulchers and has done lots of trials in South Africa under different conditions.
- Chris Chapman

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Looking for a euc buyer

6 October 2011

Question

Hi I am looking for a buyer for my eucalyptus trees ± 750 000 trees, Height 3-5 m and 10-21 cm broad, mostly straight – no knots.

– William

Answer

Hi William, I don't know where you're based, but if in KZN then contact NCT tel 033-897 8500, or United Forest Products in Mpumalanga tel 013 750 1112. Alternatively contact the nearest pulp or chips mill directly (Ngodwana, Piet Retief, Ugie, Umkomaas, Richards Bay, Durban). If the trees are suitable for treated poles, then you need to contact someone like Harding Treated Timbers, or for sawtimber your nearest sawmill.

Good Luck

– Chris Chapman

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Information on Qudco, Hyena and Bell

5 October 2011

Question

Dear sir/Madam

I am a Saasveld forestry student from Pietermaritzburg (home) requiring some info on Qudco, Hyena and Bell. I have tried digging on the net but there is the least info I could find. Please send me some links regarding info like explaining those companies harvesting heads and what makes their harv heads differ from the other brands, and also which carriers are they used upon. Remember your assistance will play a role in my qualification.

Many thanks,

– Sanele Zuma, NMMU

Answer

Come on Sanele, do you want me to do your research for you? Look at the websites, contact the manufacturers directly if necessary, ask specific questions about different heads, carriers and tasks if you want useful answers.
– Chris Chapman

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Mechanical pitter in South Africa

1 October 2009

Question

Is there a mechanical pitter available in SA?

– Steven Dlamini, Swaziland

Answer

Yes! Stihl makes a hand-held pitter with various pitting heads. It is being tested by several growers including Sappi and Mondi. There is also a pitting machine being developed by Jaap Steenkamp of NMMU in conjunction with Sappi that will be tested later this year. I believe it makes six pits at a time.

If you want to go really big, Bracke Forests has a mechanical planter that makes the pit and drops a seedling in at the rate of around 300 seedlings per hour. I've only seen it in Sweden.
– Chris Chapman

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Bioenergy utilisation through forest products

2 October 2009

Question

Does bioenergy utilisation through the use of forest products have potential in South Africa?
– Kwabena Baffoe, Master Student in Forestry

Answer

Yes, there is huge potential for plantation residue (slash), as well as sawdust residue, to be used as feedstock for heat or electricity generation. This is already happening in Europe, especially Sweden, where 28% of all energy produced comes from woody biomass from forestry operations. Several forestry companies in SA are undertaking studies into using post harvest slash to generate electricity. The technology is available, and the forest slash is available, though a large percentage of it must be left behind in the plantation to protect the soil and provide nutrients. As electricity generated from coal becomes more expensive in SA, biomass will become more viable. Biomass recovered from wood and bark waste is already being used to generate thermal energy and steam to power operations at several South African pulp and paper mills. Several plants manufacturing pellets from sawdust have been set up in SA to supply energy markets overseas.

– Chris Chapman

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Planting indigenous trees in Henley on Klip

14 October 2009

Question

We recently bought a property in Henley on Klip, just south of Johannesburg. Huge bluegum trees were cut down and we want to plant indigenous trees in their place. Fast growing, tall with broad leaves. Can you help please?
– Michael Smith

Answer

To provide you with useful suggestions, I need to know some more information about your site. Firstly, where is your property located? A Google Earth image of the Henley on Klip area shows a moister area near the river (suitable for some species) and a drier area away from the river (much restricted choice). Secondly, I assume that this areas gets frost in winter – how severe is that?

A few general comments:
i. Your preference for fast-growing indigenous trees that will grow tall is a tall order! Naturally indigenous tree species from that area (other than South African indigenous tree species) will be few in numbers and would not grow tall and would not have broad leaves. So what do you mean by tall – 5 m, 10 m or more?
ii. Fast-growing South African indigenous tree species with broad leaves will not necessarily grow on your property because of frost. I can think of the following species if your property is closer to the river – moister sites. The Outeniqua yellowwood (Podocarpus falcatus) is a fast-growing South African indigenous tree species (our National tree) that I think will grow there, and that will be frost-tolerant, does not have broad leaves. You need to plant them far away from the house because bats can paint your house with their excretions when eating the fruit – unless you can plant male trees, but that we cannot determine when the tree is still small. Wild Plum (Harpephyllum caffrum) and Cape Ash (Ekebergia capensis) have large dark-green compound leaves which give the impression of broad leaves and are relatively fast-growing and seem to be tolerant of frost (at least around eastern parts of Pretoria where I live).

iii. It would have been easier to establish these indigenous tree species if the blue gums were still standing to provide shelter (wind & frost) and shade and then to gradually remove the blue gums as the indigenous trees become established. I am not sure whether you want to plant them as scattered individuals or as a group or a line, because all of this could determine successful establishment. If the property is big, I would plant the trees in scattered clusters with different species in a cluster.

Anyway, if you can provide me with more specific information, I can provide you with better information.

Regards
– Coert Geldenhuys

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Social for profit venture in Eastern Cape

23 November 2009

Question

I am looking to start a social for profit venture in South Africa, focusing on the eradication of alien invasives, specifically wattle, in the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal. I need to procure more info with regard to the distribution of jungle wattle in the Eastern Cape region, possibly with detailed maps etc if possible. Do you currently know where I might be able to procure more info with regard to the occurence thereof? Who should I speak to? Furthermore, do you know of any possibilities of working with NGO's to procure funding for green projects such as this?

I thank you for your time, it is dearly appreciated.
– Hanu Wilsenach

Answer

There are lots of wattle jungles scattered around the Eastern Cape. Your timing is good because there is a project on the go to establish new forestry in Eastern Cape, including the conversion of wattle jungle to productive stands.

Try Stephen Keet at AsgiSA E Cape (stephen@keet.co.za); or Mike Howard of Fractal Forest, a forestry consulting business active in that area (mdhoward@iafrica.com) or Sipho Masuku at the Department Agriculture, Forestry & Fisheries (masukus@dwaf.gov.za).

Please let us know your progress.
– Chris Chapman

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Establishing a charcoal operation

6 January 2010

Question

I am looking to establish a charcoal operation.

I require portable charcoal ovens (made from steel or such) to produce the charcoal. Could you point me in the right direction? Do you know of any suppliers whom manufacture these type of ovens/kilns?
– Hanu Wilsenach

Answer

Visit this interesting website: http://www.vuthisa.com/posts/ for plans to make the ovens (you could make them yourself or give them to a local engineering company to make up for you). Otherwise, contact Gordon Potgieter on 082 652 4457, who built his own kilns on his farm in Zululand (see our Jan/Feb 09 issue or a pic of it on ourFacebook Group (http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=91964957592&ref=ts)
– Gaylene Jablonkay

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