EVERY year South Africa celebrates Arbor Week during the first seven days of September.
During the week children are encouraged to plant trees and many companies sponsor greening projects.
This is all very noble, but what happens during the remaining 51 weeks of the year is worrying.
Street trees are removed by municipalities to create more space for development.
They are also removed by homeowners because the sap or seeds fall onto their expensive vehicles or leaves carpet their manicured lawns.
In rural areas, slash and burn policies still continue as space is needed to plant crops or make way for grazing.
Trees are felled because they pose a security risk, harbouring criminals.
Unfortunately, cases such as the destruction of the once pristine Dukuduku Forest as housing and agricultural needs weighed heavier than conservation, are becoming more common.
As the need for more space for humans increases, pristine forests are becoming more under threat. They are simply seen as unproductive land and with little purpose.
Despite legislation prohibiting the destruction of forests, authorities turn a blind eye to such activities.
When they are made aware of the situation, permits are issued and the activity becomes ‘legal’.
This is, unfortunately, becoming the norm throughout South Africa and the world as forests make way for ‘progress’.
South Africa is hosting over 3 000 delegates at the XIV World Forestry Conference in Durban next week.
They will be debating issues around the commercial forestry industry, as well as research, natural forests and wildlife management.
The organisors say this will not be a ‘talk show’ and there will be measurable outcomes which will be implemented.
Forests are the ‘green lungs’ of life and are vital to our survival.
It is time that everyone takes time to ponder the future of the planet and takes the Arbor Week and the World Forest Conference theme ‘Forests and People: Investing in a sustainable future’ more seriously.
If we don’t, the future looks bleak.
