It was a busy calendar for education and training in the pulp and paper sector, and the progress we made can largely be attributed to the knowledge and time that our members, stakeholders and partners have dedicated to the cause.

Perhaps our biggest challenge was the completion of three new qualifications for the Quality Council for Trade and Occupations (QCTO): pulp process controller, paper process controller and paper and packaging collector. We look forward to 2017, when the focus will shift to the material development for these new qualifications. Add to this the planned tissue converter and diaper qualifications, and we have another busy year ahead!

PAMSA will also focus on smaller projects to ensure the successful implementation of the QCTO qualifications over the next few years.

In partnership with the Fibre Processing and Manufacturing (FP&M) Seta and Umfolozi

TVET* College, we have been working to set up the new Centre of Excellence for Pulp and Paper. The centre will be officially launched early this year, with exciting new services on offer.

We would like to congratulate Umfolozi TVET College, which was nominated for the National Skills Development Award for work done with PAMSA and the FP&M Seta. We wish them luck as we eagerly await the results in the first quarter.

In addition, we will explore the introduction of a mentoring programme to assist our pulp and paper learners with their studies. In 2017, we look forward to hosting a broad-based black economic empowerment (B-BBEE) information session – see our ‘Diary column’ for more details. At the same time, we’re considering further collaborative training sessions and workshops that will result in maximum benefit to industry at minimum cost.

Our Education Committee will have Piet Putter at the helm as chairman. Thank you to Ralph Niebuhr for your direction and contribution over the last few years. We also wish Dr Jimmy Pauck all the best as he goes on retirement.

Our appreciation goes to all our stakeholders for their contribution during 2016 - whether time, knowledge, financial or general support, we value your involvement. It was a demanding year with many successes and frustrations. With 2016 behind us, we can take a deep breath and look forward to what 2017 will bring!

On behalf of PAMSA, I wish a productive and prosperous 2017.

Warm wishes

Olga

* Technical and Vocational Education and Training

THE EDUCATION EDGEJANUARY 2017

A YEAR IN REVIEW

Dates to diarisefor 201718 JANUARYB-BBEE Codes info session PAMSA and BEESA, a consultancy specialising in black economic empowerment services, will be presenting an information session on the amended B-BBEE Codes – it is highly recommended that all members send a representative.Further details will be communicated in due course.

REgistRAtioN dAtEsfoR 2017Ekurhuleni East tVEt College9 - 13 January Classes start: 16 January durban University of technology (dUt)9 January - 4 FebruaryClasses for National Diploma start on 6 FebruaryBTech will be communicated to students during registrationUmfolozi tVEt CollegeRegistration for Pulp and Paper Occupational Programme (PPOP): 30 January - 27 FebruaryUnisa3 - 27 January 2017

Progress is neither possible nor sustainable without collaboration, and 2016 was epitomised by the power of partnership.

EDUCATION EDGE Newsletter | JANUARY 2017 2

MATHS AND SCIENCE TUTORING ADDS UP TO SUCCESSMany learners studying for their National Diplomas in Pulp and Paper Technology through Unisa have received tutoring and are very proud of their marks in maths and science at university level. They all thank PAMSA and the FP&M Seta for a contribution that has unlocked their potential in these important subjects.

The programme focuses on helping historically disadvantaged South Africans who mostly come from dysfunctional schools in rural and semi-urban areas. The majority of participants are brought into the pulp and paper industry through learnerships and have poor matric maths and science marks. This programme helps to bridge this gap.

Their matric average in these subjects was around 50% - the bare minimum to apply to study for a pulp and paper diploma at university. Thanks to the course, they are now averaging a collective 65% in university maths.

They are very proud and thankful to PAMSA for helping them, and are now confident in their studies. They are well on their way towards completing their diplomas. Keep it up!

Education partner news and views

Thank you, FP&M Seta!PAMSA and PRASA would like to take this opportunity to extend a massive thank you to the FP&M Seta for its financial support and involvement over the last few years, without which we could not have accomplished many of our successes.

The Seta’s funding has enabled us to provide maths and science tutoring, to place learners in work-integrated learning and work-based experience positions and provide all our Pulp and Paper Occupational learners with bursaries.

In addition, the Seta has contributed to capacity building initiatives with our TVET College partners, the development of new industry qualifications and the new Centre of Excellence for Pulp and Paper. It is also due to its funding that PRASA has been able to provide thousands of people with entrepreneurship training over the past few years.

PAMSA would like to congratulate Felleng Yende and her team on a productive 2016 and a successful AGM that took place in November 2016 under the hashtag #RAISETHEBAR..

PAMsA BEgiNs SHORT COURSES

In 2016, PAMSA was asked to present short courses to operating staff at the Correll Tissue Mill in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), which is undergoing expansion. The request came from Novus Holdings HR director Ralph Ruthford and mill manager Stephen Bailey, as Correll Tissue and its operating staff needed to be upskilled in tissue making.

The courses kicked off with basic pulp and paper chemistry, and modules on each aspect of tissue making were presented. Students were required to write formal tests for each module attended.

The courses were well received and appreciated by students, with lively interaction peppering discussions. Students headed back to their workplaces with a greater understanding of the process and in a better position to make more informed decisions when operating their sections.

I thoroughly enjoyed presenting the courses at the mill - it was certainly a welcome change from lecturing on campus. Participants’ enthusiasm and willingness to learn created a fantastic environment for teaching and learning.

by Viren Roopnarian

EDUCATION EDGE Newsletter | JANUARY 2017 3

BtECH stUdENts IMPRESS YET AGAIN

The inland BTech group.

The last week of October is a nerve-wracking one for Durban University of Technology BTech students as they deliver their pulp and paper technology presentations on projects that many have been working on since January.

As is customary, Dr Jimmy Pauck gathers a panel of experienced pulp and paper technologists and chemical engineers to adjudicate and determine the best presenters from the coastal and inland regions.

The coastal BTech group.

Zininzi Monki from the Sappi Tech Centre clinched first place for the inland region.

The coastal winner for 2016 is Kerishan Govender from Mpact Piet Retief.

DUT WRAP-UPby Viren Roopnarian

2016 was a good year for the pulp and paper technology programme, with 28 students completing their first year. Furthermore, our 15 second-year students had all secured in-service training for 2017 - well before they started writing their final exams!

While this is certainly great news for students, we are concerned that we cannot meet industry’s demand for pulp and paper graduates. What I have personally observed over the years is that many good students would rather opt for mainstream engineering programmes, despite being offered bursaries to study pulp and papermaking. By their own admission, they desire the status of being known as engineers when they graduate!

The pulp and paper technology programme is well-publicised by both DUT and the Central Applications Office, and therefore known by all engineering students and staff to be very successful. We invite mills to talk directly to our engineering students to motivate them to take up pulp and paper as an exciting career opportunity. We trust that this issue will be addressed by PAMSA’s new mentoring programme and other initiatives during 2017.

DUT REVIEWS QUALitY of PULP ANd PAPER PRogRAMMEsThe pulp and paper technology programmes offered by DUT underwent a two-day quality review at the end of July. The review panel comprised various university, faculty and industry representatives. The paper industry was represented by Mike Nash, and the panel chaired by Prof Bruce Sithole from the CSIR Forest and Forest Products Research Centre. The panel considered many aspects of the management, administration and delivery of the National Diploma and BTech programmes.

While the general impression was that both programmes are well run, concerns over the condition of laboratory equipment and lack of work integrated learning in the newly curriculated diploma programme were raised.A plan of action has been put in place to address the equipment deficit, and alternative ways are being sought to address the lack of work integrated learning in the new programmes.

EDUCATION EDGE Newsletter | JANUARY 2017 4

Overall, feedback received in an online survey has been positive, with guest speaker Steuart Pennington being rated as ‘excellent’ by most attendees. An MSc student at the University of Stellenbosch, Anné Williams, found his ‘positive outlook on South Africa refreshing and motivating’.

A large proportion of speakers represented the academic community and some delegates expressed their view that there were not enough mill presentations. “We could probably attribute this to a highly competitive sector and the protection of proprietary information. It is something we will take cognisance of in our planning for the 2019 conference,” says Iain Kerr, TAPPSA chairman.

You can read the full story and view the photos in the 2016 bumper edition (Volume 5 and 6) of the TAPPSA Journal or by visiting www.tappsa.co.za.

Successful tAPPsA Conference held

UKZNin brief Apart from hosting the TAPPSA Conference and Exhibition in 2016, UKZN was well represented by Atsile Ocwelwang and Jay Ramlall who delivered their work on the ‘Ultrasonic activation of dissolving wood pulp as a pretreatment to alkali dissolution’ and ‘Carbon flow analysis of the South African paper converting, paper recycling and end user fate of paper’, respectively. Commendations also go to Nigel Chikore, Jerome Andrew, Sibusiso Khanyase, Lebo Sebogodo, Emmanuel Mchunu, and Jethro Masetlwa who presented posters at the event.

Ten students wrote their finals for paper making technology, and it is encouraging that exams were written despite disruptions due to student protests, albeit a month later than planned.

On the short courses front, in April and July Iain Kerr presented two on wet end chemistry and one on water treatment at Mpact Springs mill. Iain and his team are currently reviewing two MScEng theses, one on carbon flow analysis in paper products and water reduction at one of the Mpact mills.

December will also see the CSIR Forestry and Forest Products unit moving to its new biorefinery centre.

The TAPPSA Conference and Exhibition was hosted at UKZN’s School of Engineering’s UNITE building in September, and PAMSA is proud to have sponsored six student speakers.

MsC BURsARY PRogRAMME

The Sappi Tech Centre team with Tafadzwa Nyanzunda, director of resource-based industries at the dti (left).

TAPPSA Journal editor Samantha Choles with Jane Molony, PAMSA executive director.

A welcome tea break after some intense presentations.Tafadzwa with guest speaker Steuart Pennington.

The MSc masters programme held its interviews for prospective bursars at the Sappi Technology Centre in Pretoria on Tuesday, 22 November. There were 23 applicants and 13 candidates were selected for the interview stage. Six successful candidates were awarded bursaries for the 2017/18 academic years. “We wish them every success in their studies,” says Mike Nash, who coordinates the programme.

IN PRINTPAMSA has published its inaugural industry report. It is available on www.thepaperstory.co.za for download, or you can request a copy from the PAMSA office.

TAPPSA has announced that it will be publishing the TAPPSA Journal quarterly from 2017. For more information, visit www.tappsa.co.za.

EDUCATION EDGE Newsletter | JANUARY 2017 5

twinsaver group talent development initiatives yield positive results

MEMBER CoRNER

The Twinsaver Group Skills Development Programme had a busy year, with a number of successful projects.

Basics of stores and stock control accredited by SapicsA pilot programme has been under way at Twinsaver’s Bellville and Pretoria West warehouses. Accredited by Sapics, an organisation that represents the supply chain community, the course covers the principles of stores, warehousing and the essential disciplines required to maintain control in a warehousing environment.

Four employees at the Bellville warehouse participated in a three-month programmed with Optimum Learning. They successfully completed 13 modules with three of them passing cum laude.

Employees from Pretoria West wrote their exams at the end of November and the results are pending.

Martin Louw (left) and Brendon Cornelissen, both achieved cum laude.

Shirley Ann Baron.Chrislyn Adams (cum laude).

Adult education and training On 20 September, Twinsaver kick-started its adult education and training project aimed at improving and developing employee English literacy while also providing basic foundational learning tools, knowledge and skills. The project serves to provide participants with nationally recognised skills and/or qualifications. An impressive 46 employees are participating in the programme.

supervisory development One of the Twinsaver Group’s objectives is to create a high performance culture among operational supervisors and managers.

The Generic Management NQF4 qualification has been identified as a management tool to provide supervisors with the skills they need to effectively set team objectives, plan and organise resources, track performance against objectives, solve problems and make decisions.

Employees practise by using management tools in the classroom and are empowered with a practical toolkit for use in the workplace. After the successful completion of this 12-month programme, they will obtain a Generic Management NQF4 qualification.

MPACt PiEt REtiEf HELPS EMPLOYEES GET AHEAD

Virushin Naicker - BTech 1st year.

Thokozani Mkhwanazi - BTech 1st year.

Nkosinathi Mahwai - BTech 2nd year.

Kerishan Govender - BTech 2nd year.

Avela Hlatuka - BTech 1st year.

Congratulations to the Twinsaver Group graduates

In the Mpact tradition of all employees across all divisions being empowered, Mpact Piet Retief took the initiative to partner with DUT for BTech Pulp and Paper Technology employees-students and Umfolozi TVET College for entry level employees. Both programmes will assist employees in furthering their studies from N1 to N3 in the Pulp and Paper Operations course.Piet Putter, senior education, training and development practitioner, at Mpact, thanks PAMSA and the FP&M Seta for its funding. He also congratulates Donald Marshall (maintenance fitter), Bongani Sithole (quality control inspector), Bongani Mshololo (shaker screens attendant) and Nkosinathi Nhlabathi (waste plant operator) for completing their PPOP studies at an N3 level.

Eighteen employees are currently registered on the programme and four are projected to complete their N3 qualifications this semester.

Five employees are registered for the BTech course: Virushin Naicker (electrical engineer in training), Avela Hlatuka (laboratory analyst) and Thokozani Mkhwanazi (pulp mill DCS operator) have just completed their first year, while Kerishan Govender (process engineer) and Nkosinathi Mahwai (mill chemist) have completed their final year. Mpact wishes all its employees good luck in their respective studies.

Employees during a practical classroom session, sharing information.

EDUCATION EDGE Newsletter | JANUARY 2017 6

To date, PRASA has enhanced the lives of more than 5,300 people through its entrepreneurship training course. In 2016 alone, the team visited more than 58 schools all over the country, and put paper recycling on the agenda in 18 municipalities.

The people at the centre of these efforts are operations director Ursula Henneberry and administrative manager Patti Webster. They trained and empowered an army of enthusiasts who are PRASA’s hands, feet and voices at schools and numerous training courses.

Joe Peu, formerly an environmental educator, joined the PRASA team as a course facilitator in 2013. With PRASA’s support and FP&M Seta funding, Joe recently qualified as a learner qualifications development facilitator with the QCTO.

PRASA Northern Cape representative Cecil Barends went from being unemployed to becoming an accomplished Afrikaans presenter of the PRASA entrepreneurship course as well as a familiar voice at school visits.

Mark Jagers (20) heard about PRASA and the work it does from his mother who attended a course in Cape Town in October 2015. Unemployed at the time, Mark was trained and soon thereafter changed his unemployed status to that of PRASA schools presenter for the Western Cape.

Heidi Cox is more than just an ambassador for recycling - she is fiercely passionate about leaving a better world for our children. Heidi is doing excellent work in the KZN province promoting recycling at schools. She is supported

by Senzo Tembe, an environmental consultant for Triplo4, who does school presentations where Zulu is the language of choice.

Hugo Ngcobo is a young entrepreneur from Pietermaritzburg who recently started his own recycling business. His understanding of the recycling industry put him in good stead to be coached as a school presenter, a task he embraced with gusto. In the past three months, he has presented at 14 schools in Pietermaritzburg and surrounding areas.

Patrick Mfenyana, a disabled person in his 50s, is currently being prepared by Patti to carry out school presentations.

Ursula notes, “Until recently, Patti had never spoken in public. I’m proud to say that she has totally immersed herself in school education and does it with aplomb and passion.” Patti has been an enthusiastic asset to PRASA having spoken to more than 11,200 learners at 16 schools in three provinces.

Patti says that her visit to rural Zululand had a particular impact because there was no recycling at all. “The schools are in a very remote area near Nqutu, 53km east of Dundee. They have now started recycling there, and even though the Dundee buy-back centre is about an hour away, they are making a difference.”

PRASA UPLifts ANd EMPoWERsPaper recycling is about renewal. It is about discovering the potential and value in fibre and using it to create something new. But recycling is as much about people as it is about diverting valuable raw material from landfill.

gAUtENg11 SCHOOlS

8,090L E A R N E R s

RURAL KZN2 SCHOOlS

1,753 L E A R N E R s

MPUMALANgA3 SCHOOlS

1,849 L E A R N E R s

Senzo Tembe. Patti Webster. Patrick Mfenyana. Joe Peu (top) and Hugh Ngcobo (third from left in orange jacket, above)

EDUCATION EDGE Newsletter | JANUARY 2017 7

E-CLASSROOM AND PRASA CURRICULUM MATERIAL CLiCKs!

As part of its education and awareness campaign, PRASA’s team of presenters visited 58 schools around the country in 2016, sharing the good news about paper and packaging and instilling a culture of recycling from as early an age as possible. “These face-to-face interactions – mostly for a few minutes during school assemblies – give us the opportunity to invite learners, educators and parents to visit the e-Classroom website. This is where they can access PRASA’s data handling modules which form part of the intersenior phase (Grades 4, 5 and 6) syllabus on data handling in the mathematics curriculum for the third term.

2016 saw a dramatic increase in the number of visits to the web portal – from 116,336 in 2015 to 431,330 in 2016.

Looking for extra lessons, colouring-in pages, and sick day or holiday activities? Visit www.e-classroom.co.za.

SUCCESSFUL ENTREPRENEUR TRAINING COURSE NEARS ACCREDITATION

Commenting on a busy but successful year, Ursula extended PRASA’s grateful thanks to the FP&M Seta, which granted the association funding for its popular entrepreneurship training course.

“Last year we exceeded our training target of 100 potential entrepreneurs, ending 2016 having trained 447 people all over South Africa.” The course is in the process of being accredited through the QCTO. The next step is for this body to verify and accept the framework. Once done, PRASA will start writing up the course material in line with accreditation standards.

Paper, print and the digital world converge

58 sCHooL Visits

18,152 LEARNERs

844 EdUCAtoRs

EDUCATION EDGE Newsletter | JANUARY 2017 8

PRASA showcases the forestry-paper value chain at WasteConRecycling, waste management and landfill engineering were among the main themes at WasteCon 2016, the 23rd biennial waste management conference of the Institute of Waste Management of Southern Africa (IWMSA) from 17 to 21 October 2016. The event welcomed over 350 delegates and 200 exhibitors.

PAPER RECYCLiNg gEts A Boost ON BENONI’S BIGGEST ‘BOAT’From 13-18 September in celebration of Clean-up SA and Recycling Week, PRASA, along with Mpact, could be found in the Centre Court of Lakeside Mall, Benoni. This successful activation gave paper recycling a boost. “It was an insightful week as we were able to engage directly with people about paper recycling, how to get started and what paper can be recycled,” says Samantha Choles, marketing and communications officer for PRASA. “One or two people said they are paperless but when we asked a few questions about their home and habits, they soon realised that without paper packaging and tissue products, being paperless is somewhat of a fallacy.”

SPREAD THE WORDWe have loads of material available for you to use in your offices and training rooms, all of which are available for download and printing from www.recyclepaper.co.za and www.thepaperstory.co.za. And of course, sharing is caring - feel free to pass along.

“PRASA hosted a double stand which gave us the space to showcase the entire value chain, from trees to recycling,” says Ursula Henneberry.

Various paper products and pulp samples on display. PAMSA executive director Jane Molony enjoys a rest under the cardboard tree.

EDUCATION EDGE Newsletter | JANUARY 2017 9

foREstRY NEWs

FOREST ENTERPRISE SIMULATOR LAUNCHED TO sUPPoRt EMERgiNg foREstRY ENtREPRENEURs An innovative decision-making support tool for small scale forestry entrepreneurs and larger, existing timber growers has been born out of the Forest Sector Innovation Fund (FSIF) administered by Forestry South Africa.

The FSIF - one of nine sector innovation funds awarded by the Department of Science and Technology - is aimed at increasing national competitiveness, employment opportunities and private sector contributions to research and development.

The South African Forestry Charter prioritised the entry of a large number of new black-owned enterprises, and identified the industry as a catalyst for empowering rural black communities by facilitating access to economic activities, land, infrastructure, ownership and skills. However high initial capital investment, extended investment periods owing to rotation lengths and the overall risks associated with forestry make it difficult for small scale growers to enter the industry. New entrants are also restricted by a lack of information about forestry operations and the associated costs, thus preventing them from accurately estimating profitability and business sustainability.

The Forestry Enterprise Simulator (ForEntSim) was designed to assist small growers in evaluating the feasibility and profitability of forestry enterprises and activities throughout

the rotation length. It is a joint initiative by the Department of Forest and Wood Science at Stellenbosch University, the Institute for Commercial Forestry Research and the Forest Economic Service.

The simulator is an open source web-based application for small growers and entrepreneurs interested in entering the industry and helps them to calculate the net present value, equivalent annual income, land expectation value and internal rate of return of one hectare of plantation based on income and costs. It provides an ex-ante simulation of enterprise ventures to test viability and capital requirements to identify potential improvements that will increase profitability.

The ForEntSim is an excellent example of how public-private partnership between the forestry industry, its research partners and the Department of Science and Technology have collectively contributed to strengthening the forest industry, nationally and abroad.

It can be accessed at www.forestsim.com. Interested parties are encouraged to make use of the simulator and share their ideas regarding its functionality.

For more information on the FSIF:Dr Ronald Heathronald@forestrysouthafrica.co.za083 611 6946

MSc forestry students Dannyboy Seboa and Daniel Graham make use of the ForEntSim for a financial simulation in their MSc research projects.

ICFR welcomes two new staff membersBenice Sivparsad (top left) joined the Institute for Commercial Forestry Research (ICFR) on 1 September, as a senior research scientist in forest protection research, while Richard Burgdorf joined two months ago as senior laboratory technician. Benice, with a PhD in plant pathology from UKZN, will be working on existing forest protection projects with a specific focus on eucalypt pests and pathogens. She is currently investigating methods for controlling white grub in forestry plantations.

Richard moved from UKZN where he was senior technician for plant pathology. He has a BSc degree in microbiology and biochemistry from Rhodes University and a BSc honours degree in microbiology from UKZN. He is currently completing his PhD in microbiology, working on DNA analysis of fungal endophytes and the symbioses between plants and microbes. Richard has a strong interest in near infrared analysis and related technology, and the huge potential that this has for a wide range of research areas.

EDUCATION EDGE Newsletter | JANUARY 2017 10If you’re on Twitter, follow @PaperRocks_sA

Visit www.thepaperstory.co.za

ICFR seminars share knowledge and expertise across the sectorThe ICFR hosts seminars throughout the year. Open to all, they cover a wide range of topics, provide a valuable opportunity for sharing knowledge and experience on issues relevant to the forestry sector, and serve as excellent networking events.

The first of two insightful seminars held during October was given by the ICFR’s Dr Kabir Peerbhay. His work as a research scientist in the ICFR’s spatial technologies programme focuses on vegetation pattern analysis using remote sensing. He is also investigating the use of spatial technologies for pest and pathogen detection and risk mapping.

Dr Peerbhay was recently invited to one of the most prestigious spatial technology forums globally; the Workshop on Hyperspectral Image and Signal Processing – Evolution in Remote Sensing (WHISPERS), held at the University of California in Los Angeles.

He spoke on the development of a novel machine learning framework for detecting and mapping anomalies using hyperspectral imagery and LiDAR (light detection and ranging). The method utilises natural patterns within a satellite image to produce deviant pixels that could represent anomalies such as the occurrence of alien invasive plants in a commercial forest plantation. This work followed the recent publication of his paper

‘Mapping Solanum mauritianum plant invasions using WorldView-2 imagery and unsupervised random forests’ in the highly rated international journal, Remote Sensing of Environment.

At the second seminar, Dr Bruce Sithole, principal researcher and director at the CSIR’s Forestry and Forest Products (FFP) Research Centre, presented ‘Biorefinery technologies in the forest products industries’. Dr Sithole and his team are working on developing new products from the waste that is generated by saw, pulp and paper mills. A biorefinery centre, funded by the Department of Science and Technology, has been established at the FFP Research Centre.

The South African forestry industry obtains about 47% of its economic value from trees, while the rest is deemed to be waste. Most of this waste material comes in the form of sawdust from sawmills and sludge from pulp and paper mills. This waste is generally disposed of in landfill sites or pumped out to sea.

These waste disposal methods are costly and are not environmentally-friendly. The biorefinery centre focuses on developing new value chains from this material with the aim of obtaining maximum economic value (up to 90%) from trees. Bark can be used to produce binders

and glues, while sawdust and wood shavings can be used to produce speciality chemicals and composites. Sawdust can be used to produce nanocrystalline cellulose fibres, which are known to possess a high tensile strength, as well as high value products such as xylitol, pine oil and cholesterol controlling ingredients. Similar products can be produced from pulp sludge.

Dr Sithole says that many of the technologies being developed at the centre are ideal for uptake by small, medium and micro-sized enterprises in South Africa. Such opportunities will help boost the economy and increase the economic value that the forestry industry garners from plantations.

For more information on seminars, please contact the ICFR at 033-386-2314 or visit www.icfr.ukzn.ac.za

by Sidhika Naidoo

7th Forest Science Symposium18-20 July 2017 | PietermaritzburgResearch underpinning the sustainability of a diverse forestry sector

This event will showcase the depth and breadth of forestry research across southern Africa, and aims to provide a unique opportunity for the southern African forest research community to interact with international partners and share knowledge around the work being carried out across the region.

The symposium is hosted by the International Union of Forest Research Organisations, and the South African Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries as well as research partners, including FABI, NMMU and SUN.

It will coincide with the ICFR’s 70th anniversary celebrating our extensive experience and expertise in applied forestry research, and our role as an indispensable and preferred research partner in supporting a vibrant, sustainable, productive and globally competitive forestry sector in southern Africa.

Left: Dr Kabir Peerbhay at the conference in the USA. Right: Dr Bruce Sithole with ICFR director Prof Colin Dyer.