Handbooks

South African Ground Based Harvesting Handbook

A variety of ground based harvesting systems and equipment are available to timber companies and harvesting contractors today. In South Africa, these options can range from basic manual operations, semi-mechanised systems to fully mechanised operations. Two of the most important tasks faced by timber harvesters are to select the best harvesting system and equipment for a given site, and to use the selected equipment in the best way possible. Each of these systems can operate successfully under a wide range of conditions, and the conditions suitable to each system can overlap considerably. On many sites, several systems can be used successfully. Yet, the conditions on some sites may favour a single harvesting system.

The selection process involves understanding the economic, social and environmental ramifications of choosing particular equipment for use on any given site. This process also involves recognising the capabilities of equipment and the potential interaction of equipment within a harvesting system. With a variety of factors to consider, each decision should be based on a thorough understanding of the implications of selecting the different equipment types. Improved knowledge of harvesting systems and equipment will lead to better decisions. The objective of this handbook is to help increase that knowledge and understanding.

South African Forestry Handbook

The Handbook was edited by Brian Bredenkamp and Sally Upfold. The contents include an introduction by Michael Edwards and a brief history of the South African forest industry written by Willie Louw.

Tropical Forestry Handbook

Discusses natural resources management in a changing environment induced by climate change. Provides proven methods & promising concepts to solve many challenges prevailing in the tropics. Presents the most comprehensive yet concise work on tropical forestry.

Fire Manager's Handbook on Veld and Forest Fires

The SAIF, in conjunction with William C Teie, published the 2nd edition of the Fire Managers Handbook on Veld and Forest Fires in 2009. Tiaan Pool of NMMU Saasveld edited the Handbook.

The Handbook offers the user a thorough understanding of the numerous complicated principles and procedures to ensure safe and effective forest fire fighting. Knowledge to be gained from the Handbook includes: how to predict fire behaviour; control line construction; proper use of water; incident command and organisation; how to use aircraft; how to protect structures during a major wildfire and most of all, how to fight a wildfire safely.

There's Honey in the Forest

Other publications by the SAIF is the first comprehensive book on the history of forestry in South Africa.

“There is Honey in the Forest” by Willem Olivier

There is Honey in the Forest is a book compiled by Willem Olivier and published by the Southern African Institute of Forestry.

It is an overview of the history of South African forestry. “It covers more than 300 years of indigenous and plantation forestry in various forms. It is a masterful compilation of stories of our indigenous forests and plantations and highlights the dynamic and diverse forestry environment that is truly South African”, says Tammy Swain, past-president of the SAIF.

The Sustainable Forestry Handbook

A Practical Guide for Tropical Forest Managers on Implementing New Standards

The Sustainable Forestry Handbook is widely considered to be the essential aid to understanding and implementing sustainable forest management. Providing a clear and concise guide to the practicalities of implementing international standards for sustainable forest management, this fully updated second edition covers new Forest Stewardship Council requirements, High Conservation Value Forests, clearer requirements on pesticides and developments in policy and forest governance. Aimed at forest managers, and employing extensive cross referencing and easy-to-understand illustrations, this highly practical handbook explains in clear terms what the standards require forest managers to do and how they might go about implementing them.

Routledge Handbook of Community Forestry

This handbook provides a comprehensive overview and cutting-edge assessment of community forestry.

Containing contributions from academics, practitioners, and professionals, the Routledge Handbook of Community Forestry presents a truly global overview with case studies drawn from across Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Americas. The Handbook begins with an overview of the chapters and a discussion of the concept of community forestry and the key issues. Topics as wide-ranging as Indigenous forestry, conservation and ecosystem management, relationships with industrial forestry, trade and supply systems, land tenure and land grabbing, and climate change are addressed. The Handbook also focuses on governance, looking at the range of approaches employed, including multi-level governance and rights-based approaches, and the principal actors involved from local communities and Indigenous Peoples to governments and national and international non-governmental organisations.

The Handbook reveals the importance of the historical context to community forestry and the effects of power and politics. Importantly, the Handbook not only focuses on successful examples of community forestry, but also addresses failures in order to highlight the key challenges we are still facing and potential solutions.

The Routledge Handbook of Community Forestry is essential reading for academics, professionals, and practitioners interested in forestry, natural resource management, conservation, and sustainable development.

Forestry Handbook (2nd Edition)

A revised and reorganized practical reference for the working field forester, incorporating the latest information and new, improved methods in such critical areas as U.S. forest law and policy, forest taxation, cost accounting and accomplishment reporting, pesticide and environmental aspects, safety, and public involvement procedures.