Forestry, Fisheries and Environment Minister, Barbara Creecy, has updated the annual list of all tree species, which added the Red and Pink Ivory (Berchemia zeyheri), the Jackal Berry (Diospyros mespiliformis), Manketti (Schinziophyton rautanenii) and the Umtiza (Umtiza listeriana) on the list of protected trees.

The updated annual list of all tree species which are protected in terms of the National Forests Act was published by Creecy in Government Gazette 46094 (Notice No. 1935).

Department spokesperson, Albi Modise, said the consequence of declaring a tree, species of trees or a particular group of trees or woodland, means that no person may cut, disturb, damage or destroy any protected tree.

It also means that no person may possess, collect, remove, transport, export, purchase, sell, donate or in any other manner acquire or dispose of any protected tree, or any forest product derived from a protected tree.

“Except under a licence granted by the Minister, or in terms of an exemption from the provisions if approved by the Minister on the advice of the Council,” Modise said.

Modise warned that a person who contravenes the prohibitions is considered to have committed a first category offence, and “may be convicted and sentenced to three years imprisonment, or imprisonment and a fine to be determined by the court”.