The United Nations International Day of Forests on 21 March 2017 will be marked by Forestry South Africa with the launch of an information and illustration-rich website, ‘Forestry Explained’. The International Day of Forests is about celebrating all forests, indigenous and commercial.      

Commercial forests are often forgotten despite the fact that they touch our lives in a myriad of ways. “From roof trusses and benches, to paper, packaging and tissue and the cellulose used in food and medicine, fibre from commercially grown trees plays an integral part in everyday life,” says Forestry South Africa executive director Michael Peter. “If we were to remove wood and paper-based products from our daily routines, we would soon appreciate the important function they perform.”

An indispensable sector

He adds that there is also more to forestry than planting and harvesting trees. “Thorough research, planning and management goes into keeping trees, and the land on which they grow, healthy and productive. The sector also provides jobs and supports communities.” Add to this the diverse animal and plant species that call forestry-owned land home, and you have an environmetally conscious sector that delivers an array of renewable, carbon neutral and versatile end-products.

At a local and personal level, forestry touches people – through the products they use every day without even knowing it – and communities, through education and skills development. Forestry also has a positive influence on climate change mitigation, provides a sustainable alternative to the deforestation of natural forests and is a renewable source of energy and construction materials.

One-stop guide to forestry

The new portal www.forestryexplained.co.za offers itself as ‘a beginner’s guide to forestry in South Africa’ and caters for users of all ages. It covers the basics of forestry and forest products, and everything from water-use to recreation, pest control, ownership and end-uses.

This one-stop resource offers in-depth but easy-to-read content supported by well-illustrated infographics and additional links for those who want to explore the industry further. It is ideal for learners and teachers.

Sustainably managed commercial forests should be celebrated for the benefits they bring to our daily life. To do this we need to understand them and the complex ecosystems that they are. Forestry Explained does this. It’s well worth a visit.

The Forestry Explained website supplements Forestry South Africa’s long-standing online directory platform www.forestry.co.za.

The post Forestryexplained.co.za – a fabulous forestry resource for all first appeared on The Paper Story (PAMSA).

The theme of the 2017 United Nations International Day of Forests (IDF) is Forests and Energy. Heralded annually, it shares the day with South Africa’s Human Rights Day. The International Council of Forest and Paper Associations (ICFPA) is proud to represent the global forest products industry, which plays an important role in contributing to the production of renewable energy and reducing dependence on fossil fuels by using wood manufacturing residuals, byproducts and forest residues – collectively known as biomass – to produce much of the energy required for its operations.

The South African sector is represented through the Paper Manufacturers Association of South Africa (PAMSA). Jane Molony, PAMSA executive director and ICFPA vice chair, says that the local pulp and paper sector is in some instances totally self-sufficient and has additional power to sell into the grid. “This energy, by virtue of the cogeneration process and biomass based lignin content in black liquor, uses less water and emits less CO2 than regular coal based power production. This is why PAMSA finds it particularly galling that the Department of Energy’s recently published draft Integrated Resource Plan for energy excludes cogeneration as a viable, green technology.”

According to the international carbon accounting principle, when combusted for energy, biomass does not contribute to global climate change as growing trees sequester carbon from the atmosphere via photosynthesis. The ICFPA reiterates the carbon neutrality of biomass in a policy statement: http://www.icfpa.org/uploads/Modules/Publications/icfpa-statement-on-biomass-carbon-neutrality.pdf.

“The forest-based industry also can substitute for a wide range of fossil fuel-based products on the market, hence providing additional climate benefits as well as welfare to society,” said ICFPA President Elizabeth de Carvalhaes.

According to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, wood provides the world with roughly 40 percent of current global renewable energy supply – more than solar, hydroelectric or wind power. Sustainably-managed forests have a key role in meeting several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and providing solutions for a growing green economy.

To increase the role of forests in providing renewable energy and to reduce the use of fossil fuels, the forest-based industry invests in technological innovation and sustainably-managed forests to improve yields and practices. In the past ten years, the energy share of biomass and other renewable fuels has increased from 53 to 63 percent.

The ICFPA represents more than 30 national and regional forest and paper associations around the world. For more information about the sustainability of the global forest and paper industry, visit icfpa.org.

The post INTERNATIONAL DAY OF FORESTS – Commercial forests are full of untapped energy first appeared on The Paper Story (PAMSA).

For centuries, forests have enabled humans to make products to improve their lives and meet their needs. Forests are renewable.  Even in today’s rapidly changing world, forestry is part of the solution to meeting global needs for food, fuel, paper, wood, medicines and other necessary products that improve quality of life for this generation and for those to come. 

ICFPA members support sustainable forest management around the world and are committed to using forest management and manufacturing practices that meet environmental, social, and economic objectives.

“Sustainable forest management is a key strategy and development opportunity,” said ICFPA President Donna Harman. “It enables our industry to leverage the multiple benefits of forests and forest products while meeting the world’s growing demand for forest fiber.”

The global forest products industry also is committed to fighting illegal logging and associated international trade in illegally harvested wood around the world. ICFPA members work with governments, environmental organizations and community groups to implement policies and laws that aim to stop the import and trade of timber that is harvested in violation of respective country laws.

Finally, the ICFPA’s 4^th Sustainability Progress Report (2013) highlights the industry’s progress on a number of key sustainability indicators including the uptake in certified sustainably managed forests, reduction in greenhouse gas emission intensity, the significant share of carbon neutral biomass energy in the fuel mix and a high paper recycling rate.

The ICFPA represents more than 30 national forest and paper associations around the world. Together, ICFPA members represent nearly 90 percent of global paper production and 60 percent of global wood production.

The Paper Manufacturers Association of South Africa is one of the associations that supports the global effort to promote the sustainable management of forests and timber plantations.

For more information about the sustainability of the forest and paper industry, visit icfpa.org and www.thepaperstory.co.za.

March 20, 2014

CONTACT: Katharine Eaton

(202) 463-2436, comm@afandpa.org

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The post Global Forest and Paper Industry Celebrates International Day of Forests first appeared on The Paper Story (PAMSA).