World Wetlands Day: Sappi leads the way in wetland conservation in South Africa

Hlengiwe Ndlovu

Hesperantha evening flower

South Africa’s wetlands are biodiversity-rich ecosystems that support a diverse array of plant and animal life, including endemic and threatened species.

Excluding rivers and streams that are sometimes classified as wetlands, approximately 3,892 hectares of Sappi's landholdings are currently classified as inland wetlands. These inland wetlands consist of a variety of wetland types, including freshwater marshes, peatlands, seeps, and floodplains. The extensive upland vleis of the Highveld are primarily moist grassland surrounding wetland marshes in valleys, and these moist grasslands play a vital role in supplying water to the low-lying areas.

Long Toed Tree Frog

Case study: Protecting the Long-Toed Tree Frog

Sappi’s Pinewoods plantation in KwaZulu-Natal is home to a diverse range of species, including the recently discovered Long-toed Tree Frog (Leptopelis xenodactylus), which is classified as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

"The presence of the Long-toed Tree Frog – distinguished by uniquely long toes and reduced webbing – allows it to navigate grasslands and perch on blades of grass. This signals that the wetlands and grasslands in this forestry area are healthy and support biodiversity," says
Hlengiwe Ndlovu, divisional environmental manager for Sappi Forests. "These factors demonstrate that production landscapes and indigenous areas can coexist, highlighting the potential conservation value of these multifunctional landholdings."

Sappi Forests in South Africa manage over 400,000 hectares of land, certified by the Forest Stewardship Council and the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (SA-PEFC). This includes 139,000 hectares of unplanted natural areas for biodiversity conservation. Sappi has held FSC certification for over two decades and was the first to receive the PEFC Forest Management certificate in South Africa in 2021.

International certification requires adherence to a suite of sustainable management practices that often surpass national legislative requirements. In a wetland context, these include measures designed to prevent forestry operations from encroaching on wetlands, the implementation of buffer zones to filter out pollutants and sediment, and, where necessary, restorative processes.

Shafton wetland Karkloof

Restoring balance – Repairing historical impacts

The Karkloof catchment is a network of rich wetlands that form part of the water catchment for the greater Durban and Pietermaritzburg area. It is also highly productive agricultural land, intensively used to produce food and wood fiber.

Approximately 170 ha of a larger floodplain wetland at the confluence of the Karkloof, Kusane, and Mnalweni Rivers are owned and managed by Sappi. Over the past century, this area has seen a dramatic transformation from ploughed floodplains in the 1930s to plantation forestry in the 1970s. However, since the nineties, wetland floodplains have been actively restored by removing more than 70 ha of planted trees, and since 1998, the implementation of an active management plan for controlled burning, grazing, and weeds, like St Joseph Lily and brambles. Wetland assessments in 2023 indicated that the Shafton/Kusane wetlands are in good health, but also highlighted some opportunities for further improvement, particularly continued weed control along the wetland margins. Sappi remains committed to this positive trajectory, once again giving due recognition for wetlands as a species-rich habitat for aquatic and terrestrial life. It is just another reason why Karkloof Valley is a nature-rich and beautiful asset.

Stewardship with a bird’s eye view

With funding support from Sappi, the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) has spearheaded the development of the uMkhomazi Catchment Working Group in KwaZulu-Natal – a collaborative forum that brings together diverse multisectoral stakeholders to advance water stewardship and coordinate projects within the catchment. The partnership has supported the clearing of 130 ha of alien invasive vegetation and improved rangeland management across 2,323 ha in the upper catchment. These efforts have created 40 jobs and upskilled 82 people.

Sappi was involved in the development of Wet-Health, one of the first comprehensive wetland health assessment tools to be developed for assessing South African wetlands. The toolkit enables us to:

• Evaluate wetland condition
  
• Identify causes of wetland degradation
  
• Prioritise rehabilitation initiatives
  
• Evaluate possible impacts of land-use changes on wetland functioning

With the aid of the toolkit, we prioritise the importance of our wetlands, assess their catchment areas, and refine management plans to ensure they are managed to provide a sustainable flow of clean water and a sound habitat for biodiversity.

As we celebrate World Wetlands Day, we are reminded of the critical role these ecosystems play in ensuring water security, biodiversity conservation, and climate resilience. “At Sappi we are committed to investing in restoration and collaborating with stakeholders, to safeguard wetlands for future generations,” comments Hlengiwe. “Wetlands are the lifeblood of our planet, and through continuing with our sustainable practices, we can ensure that these vibrant ecosystems remain a source of life, inspiration, and prosperity for years to come."