Global influence on local forests
From the Autumn/Winter 2010 edition of Bush Telegraph Magazine.
A leopard in Kruger National Park, South Africa. Keen photographer and forester Kobus Maree has left his homeland to work in State forest plantations near Tumut. Photo by Kobus Maree
Over a drink not far from the famed Kruger National Park, Kobus Maree and his wife Magda discussed a momentous change - the possibility of exchanging forestry in South Africa for forestry in Australia.
This discussion became reality some time later after a 4am call (South African time) from Forests NSW regional manager Bob Germantse to interview Kobus about an infrastructure job at Tumut.
Kobus remembers well his arrival in Canberra. After entering ‘Tumut’ in the hire-car GPS, he certainly took the shortest route to Tumut, but it was very rough at night via Wee Jasper Way, and meant he quickly became acquainted with Australian wildlife.
Since then a new way of life has opened up for Kobus, Magda, and their two young children Wilmé and Karlien. It has been a big change for Magda, who is now a stay-at-home mum, after many years of working in the timber industry.
Forests NSW infrastructure manager at Tumut, Roger Davies, says Kobus’ arrival at Tumut was timely as Forests NSW is currently reviewing how it develops its forest infrastructure, particularly roads.
“The organisation is tapping into Kobus’ knowledge of forest engineering,” he says.
“We are currently reviewing our practices, and it is an opportunity to get ideas from someone who has seen a variety of techniques and practices elsewhere.”
When Kobus left South Africa in May 2009, he was fibre resources manager for Mondi Forests (now York Timbers), drawing up the annual log supply budget for the company, which owned
60 000 hectares of plantation and use almost all of the logs for its own mills.
He also was responsible for maintaining FSC forest certification for the forest division of York Timbers.
Kobus says the plantation pine industry in Australia is similar to South Africa, although Australia is much more mechanised.
“In South Africa, it’s very manual with big teams of people doing things. For example, much of the tree felling is done with chainsaws, whereas here it is nearly all done by harvesting machines,” he says.
“I’m used to an environment where approximately 95 per cent of work is contracted out, where with Forests NSW much of the work is done in-house.
“The pine trees also looked strange to me initially, as I am used to all the trees being pruned.”
Kobus is very taken with the beauty of the rolling hills of Tumut and the colourful bird life, which has allowed him to indulge his passion for photography.
“I find the guys struggle to ‘get’ my accent over the two-way radios, and I find some of their accents difficult too. I quickly learnt to say ‘yeah’ or ‘yep’ rather than ‘ja’ (meaning yes) in South Africa.
“I think there is a lot more freedom here - it is a more relaxed lifestyle and the quality of life is better,” he says.
Kobus and his family are now in the process of buying a house in Tumut and intend to make Australia their permanent home.
Sarah Chester Public Affairs & Media, Albury
