Men in Trees

There are men in the forest digging small holes and sticking things in them.

That’s right, it’s seedling-planting season.

This week a team of workers from Swaziland Siviculture Services is in town planting 6,944 eucalyptus grandus seedlings from the Bulembu Tree Nursery. That’s 1,736 seedlings per hectare spread out over four hectares of Bulembu’s property that was harvested last year.

 “These seedlings grow on an eight year cycle,” explains Bulembu Timber Manager Kurt Puttkammer. “Normally we allow for natural regrowth in the forest but there has not been much growth in this area so new seedlings are best to ensure better quality trees.”

The area that is being planted was treated to prevent weed growth around the young seedlings. The Swaziland Siviculture Service workers will return in two weeks to make sure all the seedlings are healthy and to put down fertilizer.