Deputy Minister Bernice Swarts: International Day of Forests

Gauteng MEC for Environment, Mr Ewan Botha
Representative of Executive Mayor of Johannesburg Metropolitan Municipality
Representative of Executive Mayor of the Mogale City Local Municipality
Chief Executive Officer of SANBI, Mr Shoni Munzhedzi
General Manager: SAFCOL: Centre of Excellence, Ms Ise Botman
Executive Director of the Forest Sector Charter Council, Ms Khosi Mavimbela
Potential sponsors and partners
Representatives of TotalEnergies
Non- Government Organisations
Students and learners
Distinguished guests
Ladies and gentlemen

It is exciting for me to address you at this session, hosted in this vibrant space of innovation, courage, and possibility. Thank you to the organisers who have made this occasion possible.

As the world commemorates International Day of Forests on March 21, we are reminded of the proclamation by the United Nations General Assembly in 2012 which led to the inaugural day in March 2013 at the Food and Agriculture Organisation headquarters in Rome, Italy, where an opening ceremony was held. The technical seminar provided updated country-based information on the ways in which forests can maximize landscape products and services. The Day celebrates and raises awareness of the importance of all types of forests. On each International Day of Forests, countries are encouraged to undertake local, national and international efforts to organize activities involving forests and trees, such as tree planting campaigns.

Today we are hosting this event at the same time with United Nations Headquarters where they are observing hashtag ForestDay. The United Nations Forum on Forests Secretariat, in collaboration with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, is hosting a panel discussion to explore how valuation, governance and finance can better reflect forests’ full economic, social and environmental contributions. We have sent our statement to the Permanent Mission of South Africa to the United Nations that is based in New York to deliver it on our behalf.

The International Day of Forests is celebrated under the theme “Forests and economies”, celebrating the critical role that trees and forests play in driving economic prosperity. These roles go well beyond income and jobs from forest production and the trade of renewable raw materials and foods. Forests also sustain families and communities, enhance agricultural productivity, and safeguard healthy watersheds. With many countries seeking to move toward a sustainable bioeconomy, forest products offer nature-based solutions as replacements for carbon-intensive materials while generating new economic opportunities.

Forests are indispensable for healthy economies – today and for future generations.

Programme Director
The role of Forests in the economy cannot be ignored given their impact in societies and their contribution to the Gross Domestic Products (GDP) across the world, at a primary level. Forests and trees forests provide many other benefits such as:

• storm water control,
• minimizing soil and wind erosion,
• windbreaks during stormy weather,
• promotion of biodiversity and provision of creational facilities when integrated into other landscapes such as parks for communities.

Across Africa and other developing countries, forests provide livelihoods goods and services such as firewood, fruits and nuts and meats from faunal species. In South Africa, Woodlands provide an important source of income ranging from wood for domestic use and commercial use. This biome is fast reducing in size and extend due to land conversion for mining, housing, alternative land use, human settlements and other commercial construction projects.

Woodlands provides for people living in and around the forests. A significant number of people across the world is in woodcarving and other wood-based ornamentals derived from woodland forests. They provide safety net for many communities, as they are the most accessible forest resource for poor communities. The most prominent benefits include fuelwood for energy and water sterilization through boiling benefiting more than 12 million people. They also provide medicinal plants for health care with approximately 27 million people accessing products from them in this regard. Woodlands also provide fruits and other foods, wooden utensils, watershed protection and carbon storage. More than 800 000 people operate in the craft industry which is heavily reliant on woodland resources and up to 100 000 households in South Africa engage in small-scale trade in forest products from woodlands. Due to their extent and vastness, woodlands are neither adequately managed nor protected.

Ladies and gentlemen
The Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, as the custodian of the forestry function in South Africa, is responsible for implementing the National Greening Programme. The initiative supports the MTDP, Strategic Priority 1: Drive inclusive growth and job creation. It will empower local communities by creating employment opportunities through tree planting, thereby promoting local economic development. The initiative also supports MTDP Strategic Priority 2: Reduce poverty and tackle the high cost of living, by integrating fruit trees into food security efforts, social cohesion and nation-building.

The main aim of the programme is to create sustainable settlements in line with Sustainable Development Goals through:

• Addressing household food security by integrating fruit trees into food gardens.
• Creation of recreational parks through tree planting and management of other green vegetation.
• Planting trees to mitigate and adapt to climate change.
• Promotion of biodiversity in urban and rural settlements.
• Creation of an aesthetically pleasing environment for residents.
• Promotion of tree planting through the National Arbor Month Campaign and other Departmental, government, corporate and sector wide programmes.

Ladies and gentlemen
Last year, I announced the planting of a million trees in a single day and working and collaborating with stakeholders we managed to surpass the target. Linked to goal 13 of Sustainable Development Goals we are now given a bigger target to contribute to the planting of billion trees in the next five years. Following the successful implementation of the One Million Trees Programme on 24 September 2025, the DFFE intends to coordinate the planting of at least five million trees in the 2026/27 financial year towards the attainment of the Billion Trees initiative working with other stakeholders. This is in line with lessons learnt from tree planting initiatives where such targets were achieved by other countries in the region and internationally. These were based on massive mobilisation of the public and private sector to participate in such programmes. For instance, Saudi Arabia is planting 10 billion trees as part of the Saudi Green Initiative to improve air quality, reduce sandstorms, and restore ecological functions. The initiative is a whole-of-society effort that involves the government, private sector, and non-profit organizations. We learnt that Saudi Green Initiative target and its tree planting initiatives will be implemented over several years, with more than 600 million trees and shrubs expected to be planted by 2030.

Similarly, the Zimbabwean government has set a target to plant 25 million trees annually, with initiatives led by the Ministry of Environment, Climate and Wildlife, aiming to significantly increase the country's tree cover through widespread planting efforts; this includes collaborations with organizations like SPAR Zimbabwe and community groups to achieve this goal.

Programme Director
Last year this time during the Second African Forum on Urban Forestry held in Johannesburg, I spoke fondly of the first African woman to receive the Nobel Peace Prize through her Green Belt Movement, which has planted over 51 million trees across Kenya, Wangari Maathai. The planting was not just about reforestation. It was about empowerment, about giving people -especially women - the tools to change their environment and their lives. This is where we can draw an inspiration for our National Greening Programme.

Having been to other countries that are embarking on a similar programme globally and been part of the one million trees campaign that we implemented last year, I came to realise that we can do more if we use the lessons learnt to strengthen our programme going forward. I have no doubt hence I have requested that the target be looked at carefully knowing that situation and dynamics are different. I can confirm that we will be planting five (5) million trees comprised of 60 percent fruit and 40 percent indigenous in phases to accommodate everyone. In this regard, I have requested that we plant two million trees on the 1 September 2026 as we celebrate the National Arbor Month. On this day, we are calling on all South Africans to join hands in greening our country under the theme “My Tree, My Oxygen, Plant Yours Today”. It is expected that there will be collaboration by government departments, municipalities, Civil Society Organisations, Non-Government Organisations, Corporates, Students at Higher Education Institutions, Religious and Cultural groups and the public at large to plant for the benefit of our country.

The remaining quantities will be planted throughout the year and my team has advised that the DFFE and its partners and stakeholders consider the crucial dates on the calendar such as World Environment Day, Nelson Mandela Day, Arbor Month Campaign, Heritage Day, World Food Day, International Day of Forests, and other related days to accelerate and intensify the tree planting programme.

Programme Director
The DFFE is currently finalising the concept note to put in place the measures to achieve the target. High on the agenda is to ensure that governance structures are in place since the limited resources is a challenge across all organisations in the private and public sector. Linked to this, is the call to all stakeholders to pledge participation through donations and buying of trees to be donated for planting. As it was done last year, the planting will be tracked through the online system to ensure that DFFE is able to monitor the growth of those trees.

One of the lessons learned is not to incorporate the rehabilitation of degraded areas and the reclamation of mine dumps. We have taken note of the inclement weather that has devastated the wider Mpumalanga and Limpopo Provinces where we have sadly witnessed loss of life. Heavy rains and flooding continued in Limpopo last week with some schools having to close.

We have already started the engagements with the farmers that are implementing rehabilitation projects in the Eastern and Western Cape. We will draw some lessons and apply them as our intervention in the two Provinces. We are further exploring ways on how collaboration with mining houses can work for the benefit of the environment that we live in.

Ladies and gentlemen
As some of you would know, the one million trees campaign has captured the imagination of the citizens in the country. As a result, we are building up on the foundation that has been laid, for instance we will continue using the database to source trees which will include the DFFE (State), municipal and privately owned nurseries. The privately owned nurseries are commercial entities affiliated to the South African Nurseries Association and the South African Green Industry Council. We will discuss with municipalities on the option of reintroducing tree entrepreneurs through Local Economic Development of municipalities.

We have already identified safe places where trees will be planted, and consultation is ongoing in this regard. The tree banks are ready, the DFFE nurseries and botanical gardens with seven out of the 13 in the country 100 percent completed while some additional infrastructural work done by South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI) will be completed by July 2026.

Ladies and gentlemen, I challenge you today: get involved,
These are the messages of the International Day of Forests:

• Forests drive economy and support people’s well being
• Forests sustain livelihoods, jobs and local economies worldwide
• Forests are economic infrastructure, they remain critically underfinanced
• Forests are a lifeline for people living in poverty
• Forests are pathways to gender equality

In closing, let us remember that when we invest in trees, we are investing in the future - a future with cleaner air, safer communities, more resilient agriculture, and healthier citizens. Let us be remembered as the generation of leaders who planted not just policies but also established sustainable platforms for all who will come after us. Let us own our power by learning, leading, and lifting others.

I want to thank my friends and everyone for coming to support me. We look forward to a fruitful and rewarding journey as we embark on planting five million trees in the next 12 months.

Thank you for joining us today.

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