Wood versus water: Timber plantations in semiarid South Africa

South Africa, the largest industrial roundwood producer in Africa, is a water-scarce country. To ensure adequate water for all South Africans, the post-apartheid government has made a radical shift in water policy, under which timber plantations are now categorized as streamflow reduction activities requiring licenses and incurring water charges. At present the water charges are low and not directly affecting operations, but the new policy raises questions about water use efficiency of forestry land uses, particularly plantation forestry.