THE UTILISATION AND MANAGEMENT OF FOREST AND VELD PRODUCTS

List and locate on a map of Botswana areas of concentration of forests and veld products

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Forest reserves

 Kasane & Kasane Extension

 Chobe
 Kazuma
 Maikaelelo
 Sibuyu
 Kachikau
 Xhare

Benefits of forests to the environment

 Prevent soil erosion/holds soil particles together

 Wind breakers in homes
 Reduce flooding
 Beautify the environment
 Habitat for wild animals
 Balance the ecosystem
 Absorb carbon dioxide/give out oxygen
 Source of food for animals
 Transpiration for rainfall
 Adds humus to the soil
 Protects soil from excessive heat/provides shades

Uses of forest and veld products

 Source of fuel/firewood
 Building material e.g. rafters, poles ceiling and door frames
 Source of raw material/making of furniture e.g. tables, chairs, wardrobes
 Ornaments/decoration/used in art and craft-carvings
 Source of food for both human beings and animals
 Medicinal purpose

Importance of forests and veld products to local communities

 Tourism
 Source of food
 Employment creation/source of income
 Medicine
 Used for decoration/ornamental
 Promotion of small scale industries
 Source of firewood/fuel
 Building materials/ Raw material e.g. thatch grass
 Improves standard of living
 Pasture for grazing domestic animals
 Wind breakers
 Women empowerment

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Human activities leading to destruction of forests

 Over harvesting of thatch grass/firewood

 Pollution with fertilizers and toxic chemicals
 Mining
 Industries
 Lumbering
 Overstocking
 Expansion of settlements
 Veld fires
 Clearing for agriculture
 Construction of roads/power lines/damming/infrastructure development

The commercialization of veld products often leads to over-harvesting of the products. Suggest ways in which
over-harvesting of veld and forest products might be reduced

 Afforestation
 Selective harvesting
 Education
 Fencing
 Controlled harvesting/seasonal harvesting/licenses/permits
 Quotas/policies/regulations/laws

Discuss the importance of commercialization of forests and veld products to the stakeholders (Government,
Non-Governmental Organizations, Private Sector, Local Authorities and Local Communities)

Explain why commercialization of veld products is important for local communities

 Source of employment/income generation

 Poverty alleviation
 There is improved supply and quality of medicine
 There is improved quality and quantity of food
 There is improved quantity of raw materials
 It reduces rural-urban migration
 Empowers locals especially women
 There is improved community bondage
 It preserves culture e.g. craftsmanship education
 Improved standards of living
 It enhances/encourages rural development

Explain why commercialization of veld products is important for Government

 Commercial loggers pay royalties to the government for all harvest tress/revenue generation

Explain why commercialization of veld products is important for NGO

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  Conduct research

Explain why commercialization of veld products is important for Private sector

 Make furniture that is sold to earn money

Explain why commercialization of veld products is important for Local Authorities

 Get leases and rental fees from private companies

Discuss the environmental impact of commercialization of forests and veld products resources in Botswana

Why commercialization of the veld products may be harmful to the environment

 It leads to soil erosion/siltation of rivers, dams and lakes/floods

 It leads to increase in earth radiation
 It leads to extinction of some species
 It leads to destruction of ecosystems/animal migration/destroys habitat
 It leads to appearance of secondary species
 It causes desertification
 It leads to depletion of resources
 global warming/depletion of ozone layer/climate change
 it may cause a rise in sea levels/increase frequency of floods/drought

Positive effects of commercialization

 afforestation
 controlled burning of the veld
 people can domesticate and plant some veld and forest resources in home gardens
 it promotes development of laws to regulate the use of veld resources with conservation measures in
place
 it provides revenue to government coffers through taxes and license fees

Suggest the role stakeholders play in the sustainable use of the forest and veld products

How (NGO) of Botswana helps in sustainable use of forests

1. Forestry Association
 Education
 Research and extension on forestry
 Finance
 Identification of markets
 Afforestation
 Encourage woodland conservation

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 2. Thusanyo lefatsheng (NGO)
 Research
 Promote community involvement
 Afforestation
 Processing
 Marketing
 Controlled harvesting/monitoring
 Protection of endangered plant species
 Education

3. Kalahari Conservation Society and Okavango People’s Wildlife Trust

 Educate local communities on the relationship between them and their environment
 Finances research into issues affecting the resources and their conservation
 Advise other stakeholders on best conservation practices
 Source for funds to enable local communities participate in sustainable utilization of these resources
 They do market research both locally and abroad

Local Authorities

 Land Boards allocate land to be used

 Licenses the companies exploiting veld products
 They police the forest and veld products to ensure those given land rights obey the law, use the resources
wisely and conserve them

Local communities

 By being involved in decision making

 Participation in conservation and sustainable use of the forests and veld resources
 Engaging in Community Based Natural Resource Management Projects (CBNRMP)

Private sector

 They should come up with business models which provides them with profit but ensuring conservation of
the resources
 Management structures should empower the local communities

Government

 Formulate and implement legislation/laws and policies governing the buying and selling of veld resources
 Tree planting initiatives to raise awareness of the need to plant trees e.g. last Saturday of November has
been declared a national tree planting day (since 1985), tree nurseries, community woodlots, agro-
forestry and plantation were established.
 Monitor and enforce compliance with available laws.
 Empowers local communities with information