download - SPGS

SAWLOG PRODUCTION GRANT SCHEME - MAY - JULY 2009. ISSUE NO. 24
From p. 7
HEADING SOUTH...
for fine details of a suspected fire or suspicious activity and
alert nearby ground crew to take remedial action.
The fire surveillance company provides a 24 hour surveillance
service to many private forest plantation owners in the
250km radius at an agreed fee. The impressive thing about
this arrangement is that forest owners need not invest in
expensive fire surveillance equipment of their own. All
they need to have in place are good fire fighting crews
and equipment. Another aspect of this organization that
impressed us is the public awareness programme under the
“Mlilo kills” slogan. The programme targets both grownups
and school children. The immediate benefits are attitude
change of grown-ups towards fire danger since the message
is continuously being put across. The long-term impact is
on young children who grow up with a positive attitude
towards the dangers of fire.
All South African and Swazi
plantation forest companies have
fire fighting equipment ranging
from small units that are normally
mounted at the back of pick-up
trucks. These can be handy in
putting out small fires or initiating
a fire fighting operation while
waiting for the arrival bigger
equipment. Some companies have
big fire trucks and even helicopters
for fighting big fires that are
common in that part of the world. All companies or their
fire fighting contractors have well trained fire-fighting crews
that are at different degrees of readiness depending on the
fire index of the area.
Although fire is generally destructive to forest plantations,
the managers in the two countries visited at times use fire as
a management tool. Burning under canopy or ‘cool burning’
as it is referred to, reduces incidences of future fires by
reducing dry brush from the floor of the forests.
Forest road networks are very critical in fire management.
They should therefore be well planned and properly
maintained at all times. This enables fast movement of
fire fighting crews and equipment. Both South African and
Swazi timber growers maintain their forest road networks
better than some of our so-called all weather. marrum trunk
roads!
Wide fire lines separating different compartments or blocks
and clear of dry vegetation minimize the spread of fire and
help in containing any fire outbreak in manageable units.
Fire management involves more than just fire fighting or
surveillance. A good communication strategy and programme
can help minimize fire occurrences: we saw many signs and
bill-boards carrying messages on the dangers caused by
fires.
One other strategy in fire management is maintenance of
good public relations with local communities.
South Africa has state of the art fire
fighting systems. However, despite all the
sophistication, the country suffered heavy
losses of its forest plantations estimated
at 130,000 hectares and millions of Rand
during 2007 and 2008. This shows how
serious fire can be and the loss it can
cause to investments in forest plantations.
Where possible employ your labour force from the
local communities, pay competitive remunerations
and provide additional welfare packages e.g.
health insurance, food, transport (if work place is
far from place of abode). Such seemingly simple
things can ensure protection of ones investments by having
a neighbouring community that identifies itself with such
investments.
Although our industrial plantation industry is still at
infancy stage, all industrial tree growers should from the
outset, incorporate fire management in their management
plans and start investing in things like look-out points and
communication equipment like walkie-talkies - especially
those undertaking large scale planting. Fire is likely to be
the biggest enemy of forest plantations with the prolonging
dry seasons that are attributed to global warming.
And finally, Mike Nsereko and Keeya Hood – Lessons
Learned.
Many of us who were on the recent trip to South Africa
and Swaziland had never travelled for over 100km through
planted forest. Between 8- 18/March/2009 it did happen.
“We have only planted dots back
home” commented Boaz Tishekwa,
one of the guys we went with. “If
we maintain the current momentum
we shall also reach there with time”
was the response of Paul Jacovelli
who was leading our group.
South Africa and Swaziland are
home to millions of hectares of
planted forest which are well
managed. Most of the forests are
planted with pine, gum and black
wattle. In South Africa, the key players are Sappi and Mondi.
The medium scale operators are also doing well with their
own processing plants which are mechanized. The small
operators also exist and a few of them use their crop to
produce value added products like sawn timber. However
the majority in this category sell to large scale companies.
In Swaziland, in a Company called Montigny Investments
owned by Mr. Neil Rijkenberg (a very enterprising investor),
a lot of value addition takes place leading to the production
and supply of a wide range of products including timber
used on railways, mining timber, fencing poles, charcoal
briquettes, ceiling boards, floor-boards and other products
that are exported to South Africa and beyond. Neil explained
to us that it is extremely important for any investor in the
forestry sector to be mindful of the idea of value addition so
as to be able to earn more money from his investment.
Overall, the trip to South Africa and Swaziland was very
educative and an eye opener for us. It showed us that what
we have started in Uganda has potential for success if we
do things the right way. In effect it encouraged us to work
even harder. In that regard, we wish to extend our sincere
thanks to SPGS for having afforded us this opportunity.
We also wish to encourage all tree growers who have not
gone to South Africa to endeavour to make the visit if any
opportunity arises because the exposure will most certainly
leave you a better tree grower than you were before.
NEWS OF UGANDA’S COMMERCIAL TREE PLANTING FUND FOR THE PRIVATE SECTOR
13