Curio wood carvers spark debate
Crafters have been accused of destroying the local coastal forests in search of large trees to use as material.
CARVING out an honest living, or a threat to the environment?
The popular wood carvers at the entrance to Alkantstrand impress locals and visitors alike with their skill at shaping a variety of images.
But they are also accused of destroying the local coastal forests in search of large trees to use as material.
Some go as far as saying that any person buying their carvings is contributing to environmental harm.
To compound the matter, ownership for the responsibility of monitoring their actions is also in dispute.
‘One needs only to walk about through the area adjacent to them to see the denuding of the environment that is taking place,’ said Ezemvelo District Conservation Officer, Phumla Zulu.
‘The land is the property of the municipality, so they should police it and engage the carvers to ensure they are not breaking the law.’
But City of uMhlathuze head of Parks and Recreation, Ernst van Biljon, disagrees.
‘The various laws protecting trees and the environment in general fall under the ambit of local and provincial conservation authorities, such as Ezemvelo and the Department of Environmental Affairs.’
Source of wood
To complicate matters even more, the group of curio carvers deny they are obtaining their material from the immediate area.
‘We are given large tree trunks by a number of tree felling and garden waste removal companies,’ said Musa Gumede who, along with the others, resides in Mzingazi.
The Zululand Observer visited the group on Monday with Ezemvelo DCO Frans Mthembu, who was satisfied that all the logs being shaped that day had been cut using a chainsaw and had not been hacked down.
He suggested they should ask for a letter when being donated the wood by garden services companies, so that the origin – especially of protected species – could be confirmed.
Also wanting to prevent the wanton destruction of local trees is RBM ecologist and representative of the Kwambo Conservancy, Theresia Ott.
‘One certainly does not want to deny anyone from making an honest living through their undoubted skills, but we have witnessed the large scale destruction of Dukuduku forest for lack of protection.
‘Closer to home, the buffer area between Maphelane and RBM is being pillaged as well, despite our efforts to protect it.
‘I will be arranging a land stewardship workshop later this year to better contextualise the region’s conservation concerns and plan with all stakeholders.’
