Forests provide habitat to an estimated 80% of terrestrial plant and animal species, making them the most diverse ecosystems on land. Healthy forests and plantations are dependent on biological processes including soil regeneration, nutrient cycling, pollination, decomposition, reforestation/regeneration, forest stand succession following disturbance events and predator-prey relationships – all of which, in turn, rely on biodiversity.
Given that woodfibre is one of the primary inputs into our manufacturing processes, conserving the biodiversity that underpins the delivery of ecosystem services and the health of the forests and plantations is paramount. In other words, biodiversity is at the foundation of our business.
Protecting biodiversity on our lands
In South Africa we own and lease approximately 400,000 hectares, of which 138,000 hectares are maintained by Sappi Forests to conserve the natural habitat and biodiversity found there. This includes indigenous forests, grasslands and wetlands.
Natural forests have been successfully protected in South Africa since early 1900s, so there has been no forest conversion. Sappi’s eucalyptus and pine tree plantations were established on former grasslands and so have increased tree cover in the country.
Plantations in South Africa are situated in biodiversity hotspots, and plantations do displace the natural biodiversity. In Sappi and South Africa, this impact is largely reduced by the fact that about 35% of the landholding remains natural and most of this land is managed for conservation purposes. This unplanted land has been recognised by the South African National Biodiversity Institute as a major contributor to national conservation targets.
Some of the key ways we protect biodiversity include:
- Maintaining about 156160 Important Conservation Areas (ICAs) including seven nature reserves on our plantations.
- Monitoring water quality: We use the aquatic biomonitoring South African Scoring System methodology to determine the composition of macroinvertebrate in rivers on our landholdings, as well as river health.
- Developing and implementing long-term integrated weed management plans on all our plantations as invasive alien plants are widely considered as a major threat to biodiversity, human livelihoods and economic development.
- Maintaining and enhancing soil function – a crucial component of sustainable forest management and biodiversity. The trees are deep rooted and long-lived, with little or no mechanical cultivation occurring. As a result, the structure of soils is maintained or improved, while topsoil nutrients are increased as nutrients and minerals are taken up deep within the soil profile.
- Sappi's Rare, Threatened, and Endangered Species Programme, initiated in 2014, focuses on cultivating rare indigenous plant species.
- Partnering with the South African National Biodiversity Institute and other plantation owners through Forestry South Africa, to mainstream biodiversity into the forestry sector.
Managed forests and biodiversity
The forest-products industry plays a key role in keeping forestland forested and has even helped reverse deforestation trends in certain regions. The pulp and paper industry provides dependable markets for responsibly-grown woodfibre, thereby incentivising long-term forest management. This assurance of financial returns enables and encourages landowners to manage their forestlands as working forests, instead of selling the land for development or converting it to non-forest uses. Furthermore, the pulp and paper industry typically utilises different species and/or smaller diameter trees or portions of trees that are not desirable in the solid wood industry. By providing this market and revenue stream, the industry is supporting necessary holistic forest stand-improvement activities that are essential for maintaining and restoring forest health, species and age-class balance, wildlife habitat and biodiversity, wildfire mitigation and hazardous fuels reduction, watershed protection, soil conservation, carbon sequestration, etc.
Responsible, active forest management is critical for maintaining a healthy balance of economic, social and ecological attributes from the world’s forests to meet the needs of the present and future generations. Some may assume the best thing for a forest is to leave it in its natural state, yet few understand that variation in age class within a managed forest helps to promote biodiversity of both plant and animal species. All forests are managed either by natural events or by humans - and it’s often the case that intentional, carefully designed and implemented responsible human management is better for the long-term health of the forests.
Forest Certification & Biodiversity
Healthy, robust, well-managed forests support community well-being, provide a haven for wildlife and diverse plant species, protect watersheds and play a critical role in the carbon sequestration cycle.
The forest certification systems that Sappi works with (FSC, PEFC, SFI) all have requirements within their forest management standards, which focus on maintaining or enhancing biodiversity and managing or protecting high conservation and ecosystem values. Through the inclusion of these requirements in forest management practices, attention is placed on maintaining and conserving biodiversity while implementing other management objectives.
The impact of forest certification standards also extend beyond certified forests. FSC and PEFC require the conservation of critical biodiversity values during all harvesting activities, including those on non-certified forestlands, through implementation of a due diligence system and risk-based mitigation measures, where necessary.
Sappi and the SDGs
We’ve set ambitious targets aligned with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the seven areas where we believe Sappi can make the biggest impact.