Over the next nine to eighteen years SAFCOL will be exercising an exit strategy of their forestry activities in the Southern Cape. So stretch your imagination when driving through the area and whenever you see pine trees, imagine fynbos and natural vegetation.

Whilst plans are still underway between the authorities of how this is going to happen, be assured that the action is good news for tourism. Garden Route Investments made a few enquiries into the removal of this tree crop. Whilst most officials interviewed did not want to be quoted we feel confident to report the following:

Extract from Cape Nature Conservation's website:

"After 18 months of debate, the State forestry company, Safcol and DWAF have agreed that, following the removal of the final tree crop, the majority of the land that has supported plantations in the Western Cape should be placed almost entirely under a conservation land use. The details of how such a transfer will be affected are still under negotiation. The Board has agreed to support, in principle, an agreement with Safcol, which will result in the transfer of the forestry exit areas west of the Kaaiman's or Touw River to the Board. The plantation exit areas east of this boundary are to be managed by South African National Parks, which will pursue the C.A.P.E. project "Southern Eden" in the Garden Route area. In principle there is no question that the Safcol areas should be rehabilitated to natural vegetation and managed as integral parts of the adjacent mountain catchment areas. The proposed transfer is unquestionably a strategic opportunity for the Board and is likely to result in significant benefits for the development of tourism in the Western Cape".
Ends
When questioning board members and officials from all bodies concerned as to possible threats to this exit strategy, it seems the biggest challenge will be the ability to manage the rehabilitation of previously forested land. These are massive tracts of land that carry with them huge responsibility and potential. The manpower, planning and research behind the project will determine the success of the project. One does not need to stretch the imagination to far to imagine what will happen if any of this land is neglected, or, the responsible agency does not carry out the necessary actions to rehabilitate the land.

The privatisation process (of the old SAFCOL - now MTO) of the plantations in question does mean that there is a possibility the 'agency' now responsible for the forests will play a role in the process. The extent of their involvement is unknown, and, so is the level of responsibility the agency will have in the process and rehabilitation.

It seems that proposals will be going from conservation bodies, like CNC and National Parks, to the negotiation table. And, we can safely assume that not all the conditions of these proposals will be accepted. All people interviewed felt that the role of the private sector at some stage would be paramount to the success of the exercise. However parameters of responsibility of the custodians of the land have to be set before other private sector bodies can get involved.

We all await with abated breaths, the unravelling of this project and so to a new Garden Route.
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