| (1) |
If the Minister is of the opinion that any tree sought to be protected in terms of this Part may be damaged or destroyed before a declaration under section 12 could come into effect, he or she may act under this section. |
| (2) |
The Minister may declare any tree or group of trees to be temporarily protected by publishing a notice in two newspapers circulating in, and airing it on two radio stations broadcasting to— |
| (a) |
the vicinity, in the case of a particular tree or group of trees or woodland; or |
| (b) |
the entire country, in the case of a species. |
| (3) |
The Minister may act under subsection (1) without consulting or hearing any person if the urgency of the situation justifies this. |
| (4) |
The prohibition referred to in section 15(1) applies to a tree or group of trees temporarily protected in terms of this section. |
| (5) |
The temporary protection lapses when— |
| (b) |
the Minister decides not to protect the trees under section 12, in which event he or she must publish a notice confirming this in the media referred to in subsection (2); or |
| (c) |
the Minister fails to act in terms of paragraph (a) or (b) within 12 months of the day the notice referred to in subsection (2) became effective. |
| (6) |
The Minister may issue a written order to immediately terminate the felling, mutilation or destruction of an individual tree or group of trees if he or she has reasonable grounds to believe that such a tree or group of trees may qualify to be declared as— |
| (a) |
protected, in accordance with section 12(a) and (b), until such time that a notice in this regard is published in the Gazette in accordance with section 14(2); or |
| (b) |
a controlled forest area in accordance with section 17. |
[Section 14(6) inserted by section 5 of the National Forests Amendment Act, 2022 (Act No. 1 of 2022), Notice No. 1131, GG46650, dated 1 July 2022 - effective 4 December 2024 per Commencement Proclamation 233 of 2024]
Gold Membership
