From the FSA Executive Director’s Desk

COMPETITION COMMISSION GRANTS FSA EXEMPTION – 21 JULY

As reported in May, FSA made an application to the Competition Commission seeking approval for our members to collaborate around several of our key rail and port Industry projects. FSA Operations Director, Mr Francois Oberholzer, has followed up regularly with the Competition Commission and we have now secured this important block exemption for our Sector. Herewith, please see the letter which enables our members to collaborate, and which should greatly improve the potential for increased efficiencies for the Sector.

FSA SECURES 800 000 FOR THE FUTURE21 PROGRAMME 4 AUGUST

During our General and Executive Committee meetings in May, Mr Norman Dlamini, FSA Business Development Director, reported on the successful completion of the Forest21 programme, which was funded by the European Union in the order of about R20m. We also reported that the success of that programme, contributed significantly to FSA this year, securing R20.1m for our F-GAP programme from the FP&M SETA. FSA is delighted to inform you, that based on the outstanding successes achieved by FSA’s Business Development unit and our partners in tertiary education and training, we have secured another €800 000 (around R16.7m at the current exchange rate) from the EU for the FUTURE21 Programme. This Programme will further strengthen the capacity of South African Higher Education Institutions offering Forestry, to advance sustainable socio-ecological systems (SES) through interdisciplinary education, capacity building and collaboration.

FUTURE21 builds on the success of the FOREST21 project, with FSA serving as a core partner. The project consortium includes Nelson Mandela University, University of Mpumalanga, Inland Norway University of Applied Science, Häme University of Applied Science, Garden Route Biosphere Reserve, and Kruger to Canyons Biosphere Reserve.

The project will be implemented over the next three years starting from January 2026. As FSA’s role will be to organise, coordinate and capacitate small and medium-scale timber growers in the regions to contribute to the process of improved forestry education. The following FSA staff members have been provisionally assigned to participate in the project:

Norman Dlamini: Local Coordinator and Project Lead

Suzanne Blow: Administration
and Finance

Nathi Ndlela: Multi-Sectoral Collaborations: South

Stefan Links: Multi-Sectoral Collaborations: North

Katy Johnson: Communication and Dissemination

BY MICHAEL PETER, FORESTRY SOUTH AFRICA EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Source: Forestry In Focus

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