Fairbanks, DHKScholes, Robert J2026-03-252026-03-251999http://hdl.handle.net/10204/14778The South African forestry industry is sensitive to climate, for better or for worse. Only 1.5% of the country is suitable for tree crops under the current climate. Much of this area is relatively marginal. The relatively long period between planting and harvest makes tree plantations vulnerable to environmental change. Shifts in the optimum tree-growing location can have a big impact on the profitability of fixed capital investments, such as sawlog and pulp mills. The results of forest growth models suggest that if the climate changes to the degree predicted, and if no action is taken to select and plant heat tolerant cultivars, there will be substantial loss of production in the core area of current forestry, particularly in Pinus patula and Pinus radiata plantations.Fulltexten-USClimatic changePinus patulaEnvironmental impactPinus radiataPlantationReport68512