From left Professor Prof Chad Bolding, visiting and research associate from the University of Georgia in the USA, Dr Muedanyi Ramantswana and Prof Saulo Guerra.
Senior lecturer and Forestry programme coordinator Dr Muedanyi Ramantswana is one of the authors together with Professor Saulo Guerra, from Brazil’s São Paulo State University and Prof Jose Mauro da Silva from the Institute of Forest Research and Studies (IPEF) in Brazil.
The event drew forestry growers, higher-education representatives, and other sector stakeholders to celebrate a book that addresses the growing role of technology in silviculture.
Dr Ramantswana stated that the book was developed to address a knowledge gap in silvicultural technologies. Drawing on country-specific surveys in South Africa and Brazil, the authors aimed to produce a teaching and forest-practitioners' resource focusing on how technologies are applied across nurseries, regeneration and stand tending.
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From left, Profs Saulo Guerra and Chad Bolding and Dr Muedanyi Ramantswana.
Forest practices in South Africa and Brazil are also compared and practical descriptions of current and potential future technologies are presented, along with a discussion of challenges and opportunities across the integrated forest value chain.
Prof Saulo indicated that, through his collaboration with Dr Ramantswana since 2018, their research has focused on this specific field of technology and innovation in silviculture, resulting in this book.
He expressed his gratitude for the opportunity to build a relationship with the Mandela University’s Forestry Department and for producing an educational tool that will be used by students and various resource managers.
Speakers at the launch highlighted the book’s academic and industry value. Tiaan Pool, Head of the Forestry Department, praised the achievement and noted the book’s importance as a teaching tool, while Dr Ronald Heath (FSA Director: Research and Protection) represented the forestry industry and emphasised the need for local and international collaboration and knowledge-sharing through written works.