The role of the forest industry in rural development and land reform in South Africa

SUMMARY South Africa's industrial forest sector is of great national importance and has considerable potential to continue to grow and bring with it significant economic benefits. South Africa's new Forest Policy requires that the benefits possible from further growth of the industry should be balanced not only against the environmental and resource use implications, but also its social impacts; a dimension which received little attention under the former apartheid administration. The relationship between the forest industry and surrounding and resident rural communities has often been characterised by conflicts over access to resources, principally land. Under apartheid such conflicts were often dealt with by forest managers through the use of force. Such an approach is no longer tenable. This has been recognised by a number of forest owners who have sought to identify ways of accommodating the rights and aspirations of affected communities. Recent innovative approaches to resolving conflict between the forest industry and rural stakeholders include land sharing, providing access to land and other resources and the development of commercial relationships between the parties.