Eastern Cape property developers and homeowners have been warned not to chop down protected trees without a government-issued licence.
Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (Daff) forestry expert Thabo Nokoyo yesterday said they had decided to hold public workshops on the Sunshine Coast following a spate of contraventions in the area.
He said offenders faced fines and even criminal prosecution if caught damaging or destroying any of the 47 trees that were listed as protected.
According to Noyoko, white and red milkwoods were hardest hit.
He said the reason to clamp down hard on offenders was because protected trees and indigenous forest, which only existed on 1% of South African land, were under serious threat.
“Even if protected trees are not in a forest, they are still protected. You need a licence even if you want to move or cut down one tree.”
Noyoko said the purpose of the workshops was to inform estate agents, architects, landscapers and homeowners about the legal ramifications of destroying protected trees.
Although the Port Alfred public meeting was poorly attended, several estate agents from one local group were there to hear how the law affected property sales.
The meeting was told that licences were also needed to clear indigenous forests on farmland – even if they had been previously cleared.
He said this land was considered an indigenous forest after seven years of regrowth.
According to Noyoko, indigenous forests on private land could not be destroyed for farming or development and that the onus was on the applicant to prove “exceptional circumstances”.
Part of the education drive was to inform local municipalities that the law also applied to them.
Although fines of up to R10000 were considered small change by many, Noyoko warned if there was major damage to protected trees or an indigenous forest, they would challenge the matter in court and even block the development.
They would be ordered to rehabilitate the land and pay legal costs.
Ndlambe Municipality environmental law officer Willem Nel said fines could be up to R50000.
The threat of invasive alien trees also came under the spotlight at the workshops.
Noyoko’s colleague Zinceba Peter-Madikizela, said according to the National Environmental Management and Biodiversity Act, property owners could face fines that could run into millions if they failed to comply with orders to remove alien species, from the department and Green Scorpions. — davidm@dispatch.co.za
East Cape protected trees under threat
Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (Daff) forestry expert Thabo Nokoyo yesterday said they had decided to hold public workshops on the Sunshine Coast following a spate of contraventions in the area.
He said offenders faced fines and even criminal prosecution if caught damaging or destroying any of the 47 trees that were listed as protected.
According to Noyoko, white and red milkwoods were hardest hit.
He said the reason to clamp down hard on offenders was because protected trees and indigenous forest, which only existed on 1% of South African land, were under serious threat.
“Even if protected trees are not in a forest, they are still protected. You need a licence even if you want to move or cut down one tree.”
Noyoko said the purpose of the workshops was to inform estate agents, architects, landscapers and homeowners about the legal ramifications of destroying protected trees.
Although the Port Alfred public meeting was poorly attended, several estate agents from one local group were there to hear how the law affected property sales.
The meeting was told that licences were also needed to clear indigenous forests on farmland – even if they had been previously cleared.
He said this land was considered an indigenous forest after seven years of regrowth.
According to Noyoko, indigenous forests on private land could not be destroyed for farming or development and that the onus was on the applicant to prove “exceptional circumstances”.
Part of the education drive was to inform local municipalities that the law also applied to them.
Although fines of up to R10000 were considered small change by many, Noyoko warned if there was major damage to protected trees or an indigenous forest, they would challenge the matter in court and even block the development.
They would be ordered to rehabilitate the land and pay legal costs.
Ndlambe Municipality environmental law officer Willem Nel said fines could be up to R50000.
The threat of invasive alien trees also came under the spotlight at the workshops.
Noyoko’s colleague Zinceba Peter-Madikizela, said according to the National Environmental Management and Biodiversity Act, property owners could face fines that could run into millions if they failed to comply with orders to remove alien species, from the department and Green Scorpions. — davidm@dispatch.co.za
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