Prof Mary Scholes and her team at the Sappi Chair in Climate Change and Plantation Sustainability at the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) are pioneering research and capacity-building initiatives to equip the forestry industry to navigate the challenges of climate change.
The insights provided by the research group to South Africa’s forestry industry on the impacts of climate change and the risk of drought and increased wildfires are some of the crucial areas where this research is proving invaluable.
“Although we are routinely proactive in this regard, the predictions from the Wits team will lead to us intensifying our annual fire readiness measures. This includes collaborating with our neighbours to ensure that fire prevention methods like fuel load reduction and fire breaks are properly implemented and maintained,” says Duane Roothman, Vice President of Sappi Forests.
Read the full report here – https://www.woodbizafrica.co.za/may-2024-issue-37/#may-2024-issue-37/12/