Last month we discussed the obstacles the forestry industry face in terms of weeds, pests and disease control. This month we’re looking at the physical management of such large areas and the role chemical treatment can play in lowering costs and increasing productivity.

1. Land Clearing

Land clearing is done in order to prepare the soil for the planting of new seedlings. This process helps eliminate competitive plants that have taken root and weeds that may compete for natural resources and interfere with the growth of the seedlings. Land clearing can also reduce the risk of fire and assists with fuel management. Chemical land clearing of stumps is especially effective where plantations are on a slope or the terrain is inaccessible to machinery.

 To control weeds before planting a total chemical treatment is recommended. IVM Chemicals also recommends that the specific weeds be identified before application as certain weeds require specific herbicides. Weather conditions should be taken into considerations as rainfall within 1-6 hours after application can affect efficiency and wind can increase drift. Please talk to our team regarding guidelines for stump clearing.

2. Increasing canopy closure

Quick canopy closure increases the growth of the trees and helps them achieve uniformity in the stand. Plantations will apply fertiliser to promote canopy closure, but this should only be done in a weed-free area. Herbicides should be used to keep the plantation clear of weeds and any competitive plants in order for the new seedlings to receive the maximum benefit from the fertiliser and successfully increase canopy closure.

3. Fire Protection

Wild fires are becoming an increasing problem as a result of urbanisation and the extreme weather conditions climate change brings about. In South Africa fire season differs from region to region; in the Western Cape fire season is usually from January to April and in the northern provinces from April to August when the dry winter saps moisture from plants turning them into fuel. All land owners, not only forest owners, are responsible for taking the necessary measures to prevent fires. One prevention measure that can be taken are firebreaks. These are physical clearings in vegetation to stop large fires from spreading.

Chemical tracing can be used as an effective and low-cost way to create firebreaks. According to SA Forestry Online it is the easiest of all the protection tasks. Chemical dissidents can be used to dry out green grass that is then burnt to create a clean strip. Please talk to one of our IVM consultants for products to use during chemical tracing.

IVM Chemicals – how can we help?

 IVM provides a variety of chemical management solutions to control, promote and manage the vegetation within plantations. IVM Chemicals additionally supplies planting gel, a product that increases the water holding capacity of soils and improves tree growth.

 IVM Chemicals can also supply the necessary equipment and training for weed spraying teams. We have all the necessary equipment you may need for the application of our products: 16 l knapsacks, manual and electric sprayers and a variety of nozzles for all your application requirements.

 IVM sales representatives have AVCASA, PCO licenses and IVM is a member of CropLife. We have been actively assisting the South African forestry industry for more than 10 years and we regularly provide training to spraying teams.

 For more information on our Forestry products and services please contact us today.