Sustainable Harvesting of Timber from Woodlands in Southern Africa: Challenges for the Future

SYNOPSIS Woodlands covered > 50% of the land area in southern Africa, but only 57% remain today and only 7% occur in protected areas. Mean population density in the region is 17 people/km2 and urbanisation is increasing. In several countries subsistence agriculture is still the main contributor to the GDP. The main challenge in the region is to develop a sustainable contribution to the industry and service sectors of the economy from the woodland resources while improving the conservation status of the vegetation resources. A wide range of timber and non-timber products are harvested from the woodlands, often with no concern for the maintenance of the resource, or to optimise and economise the utilisation of the trees that are felled, or to pursue multiple-use systems. Very few species are utilised, and some of the harvested species are relatively rare, or are over-utilised, and the management systems to not favour their regeneration. Sustained-use management of woodlands require the maintenance of 1) the...