Ensuring Ethical Pesticide Use In SA's Forestry Sector

With pesticide use under increasing scrutiny by governments and the private sector, stakeholders in the forestry sector should be mindful of how they use these agrochemicals. Roger Poole, chairperson of the Timber Industry Pesticide Working Group, spoke to Lloyd Phillips.

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PLEASE TELL US ABOUT YOUR WORKING GROUP.

The Timber Industry Pesticide Working Group (TIPWG) was founded in 1999 in response to the first South African forestry companies receiving Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification. TIPWG was established to ensure industry collaboration, especially in terms of compliance with the FSC pesticide policy. A combination of industry members, academics, regulators, pesticide experts, manufacturers and distributors, the group fits under the Forestry South Africa umbrella and promotes responsible use of pesticides in commercial plantations through technical support, industry collaboration, compliance, and providing guidelines.

WHAT ARE SOME OF ITS KEY ACHIEVEMENTS?

The level of industry collaboration achieved through TIPWG is one of our crowning achievements. The forestry sector is both diverse and expansive; it’s made up of 11 large-scale corporate companies, over 1 100 mediumscale timber farmers and more than 20 000 small-scale emerging growers. All have their own requirements and directions, but when it comes to all things pesticide-related, TIPWG brings them together.

TIPWG’s website was launched in March last year and has revolutionised the way we communicate with forestry stakeholders. Using infographics, we break down complex aspects of pesticide use, explaining everything from regulations to standard operating procedures.

The website is an ideal platform to host TIPWG’s approved pesticide list, which contains only those pesticides registered for use in the sector in accordance with the Fertilizers, Farm Feeds, Agricultural Remedies and Stock Remedies Act of 1947, and which comply with the FSC pesticide policy. Exciting additions to the website are in the pipeline, and it’s a platform that’s evolving with the sector.

IS TIPWG INVOLVED IN RESEARCH?