ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
Understanding the environmental cost of firewood — and why your choice matters. Learn about the problems caused by Black Wattle and the hidden cost of poached indigenous wood.
THE BLACK WATTLE PROBLEM
Water Consumption
Black Wattle is a fast growing tree and therefore uses a lot of ground water which our environment cannot afford.
Soil Erosion
No other plants will grow under a Black Wattle and because of this there is nothing holding the soil together, which in turn causes soil erosion.
Threat to Indigenous Plants
Our endemic and local trees have to fight to survive when there are Black Wattle in the area. They steal water and sunlight away from our indigenous plants.
Incredibly Invasive
Black Wattle are incredibly invasive plants. Their seeds remain dormant for many years and this makes it very difficult to eradicate.
INDIGENOUS / LOCAL FIREWOOD
Most of the firewood bought from the side of the road has been poached. This is a crime and truly destroys our natural habitat. This poaching takes place in and around the Magaliesburg mountains and bushveld.
M-Net's Carte Blanche has highlighted this as a huge problem. The "Magaliesburg Firewood Mafia", as they are known, will go and illegally cut down and poach our indigenous plants. They do not only cut a few trees down — they will totally destroy that area and remove all the trees. Some of these trees are over 100 years old.
The wood is then bagged and distributed to vendors. Although the wood looks dry and the person selling it to you will assure you that it is dry, it is not. Most of the time the wood is "green" and wet and would have only been cut a few days before being bagged and sold to you. Green wood will produce a great amount of smoke and won't burn well at all.
The Magaliesburg area is driven and kept alive by tourism. This beautiful region forms part of the Magaliesburg Biosphere and is in fact a World Heritage Site. If this poaching of the landscape continues we will be left with barren mountains and infertile soil — decreasing tourism and leaving thousands without jobs.
The problem is exacerbated by the public purchasing this poached wood. This wood may seem like the cheaper option, but it is not only going to create smoke in your house, it is also damaging our environment.
