Forestry South Africa (FSA) reports that there are over 25,000 small-scale timber growers, with the majority being subsistence farmers supported by forestry cooperatives and social development initiatives of large corporations.
The commercial tree species include eucalyptus, wattle, and pine and are selected based on market demand and timber end-use. Small-scale timber farming occurs mainly in rural KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, and the Eastern Cape.
These entities often emerge as new participants in the forestry industry through land redistribution programs. Individual forestry plantations vary from half to four hectares. At the same time, community-based entities like Community Property Associations and Community Land Trusts have
larger land extents, ranging from 50 to 20,00 hectares.
Read the full story written by Justin Nyakudanga – https://www.woodbizafrica.co.za/may-2024-issue-37/#may-2024-issue-37/26/