Mpumalanga Environmental Youth Network

Dear All, for those of you in Mpumalanga and interested in joining the Mpumalanga Watr Caucus Whatsapp group please send message to 0833868907 with 'add MPWC'

Philip Owen - The Impacts of Industrial Timber Plantations on Environmental and Social Justice Philip Owen is a founding member of an Environmental Pressure Group GeaSphere. His work is about raising awareness regarding the environmental and social imp...

Tonights GeaSphere ‘Earth Matters’ conversation will feature Mr Sibusiso Owen Ndidi as guest.
Ndidi represents ECEN - Eastern Cape Environmental Network, which is active on various environmental fronts in the Eastern Cape province. The discussion will explore issues around off- shore natural gas exploitation, coastal mining and industrial timber plantations, all industrial activities with direct impacts on communities and nature with serious potential long term negative consequences. The meeting will be 'live streamed' to the GeaSphere FB Page tonight at 7pm. If you would like to be a participant in the Zoom meeting please contact us.

Hey MEYN.. Check out the 'earth matters' conversations with December Ndhlovu, Matthews Hlabane, Sibongile Mtungwa, Sboniso Dlamini, David van Wyk, Mariette Liefferink and many more. These video's serve to educate and inspire!

GeasphereAfrica - YouTube Geasphere's Channel can keep you informed and involved in protecting our planet and offers different videos about environmental issues and our activities.For...

Planet of the Humans (2019) 100 minutes | Michael Moore and director Jeff Gibbs present Planet of the Humans, a documentary that dares to say what no one else will this Earth Day — that we are losing the battle to stop climate change on...

Big timber accused of unauthorised tree switch The commercial timber industry in Mpumalanga is under fire for replacing pine forests with gum species without authorisation and in the process jeopardising communities’ water sources.

This a well balanced article... GeaSphere need the support of the MEYN.
Stay safe in these strange times...

Activists oppose switch from pine to gum trees over water use Activists oppose the replacementof pine trees with gum trees, which they say use more water

Compensation to the environment for high water use per hectare, should be a norm to this multinational corporations. Sustainable lives of young people whom await to be next rulers of this world depends solely upon decisions made by our current leaders partaking in environmentally based decisions. Hence if no one rises up than the youth then we taking this Geo straight to the ground. MEYN, says let's join ideas, projects, initiatives, activities, awareness and more of environmental degradation decrease implementations.

💚💚Generous Hearts💚💚

There are many great organisations that help people in need. Many of these people go unnoticed.

Do you know any of these amazing people?

If so, please tag them or mention them in the comments below, we’d love to give them the exposure and attention they deserve.

Planned Conversions from Pine to Eucalyptus could have a devastating impact on water resources in Mpumalanga, South Africa.

GeaSphere is a environmental organisation active with regards to timber plantations in Mpumalanga province.
We had recently been alerted that there are plans to convert pine plantations in the Kaapsehoop area to eucalyptus plantations.
We are aware that other local pine plantations are also to be converted to eucalyptus,, due to an increased demand from the Sappi Ngodwana Mill to feed their new cellulose production line.

These changes from pine to eucalyptus plantations could have a catastrophic detrimental impact in our region, primarily because of much higher water use associated with eucalyptus plantations.

On average, eucalypts use 25% more water than pines, reducing the residual stream flow from 35% of base vegetation flow to 20%, a residual flow reduction of 44%. In brief, changing from pine to eucalypts will reduce the free stream flow by nearly half.”

These impacts are most severe during winter ‘low flow’ conditions. Eucalyptus roots have been measured 50m into the soil profile, so they can utilise deep groundwater resources. Impacts on groundwater in our region have never been properly quantified.

Apart from the impact on water eucalyptus plantations have a much higher impact on biodiversity and soil sustainability, as the rotations are shorter and trees spaced closer.

It seems obvious that Mpumalanga is in jeopardy with regards to water availability. Historically, the impact of the timber industry has been severe, with many fountains and streams having dried up completely since the introduction of large scale timber plantations in the region.
We have seen less than average rainfall during the past few years, and even some of the perennial rivers feeding the crocodile had almost stop flowing during October / November 2019. These conditions are being compounded by climate change currently experienced throughout the world, with unknown consequences for the region.

As responsible stewards of our environment, we should manage as much as possible to mitigate potential environmental impacts. Converting pine plantations to eucalyptus in a water scarce region will compound impacts already experienced and could have disastrous effects on our region and society.

In our opinion, decisions which can have such devastating impact on our region need to be very carefully considered by a wide body of stakeholders, and we have asked the relevant Government department to reinstate the SFRALAAC (Stream Flow Reduction Activities Licensing Application Advisory Committee) meetings to guide these activities.

We also believe that a comprehensive SEA (Strategic Environmental Assessment) has to be conducted to enable better understanding of these accumulative impacts, in order to guide appropriate decision making.

We believe all planned conversions to eucalyptus should be halted until such time as there has been a process whereby a broad range of stakeholder inputs had been obtained and a comprehensive Strategic Environmental Assessment conducted.

GeaSphere
Water is Life