Who we are

Forestry Solutions Africa

Forestry Solutions Africa is a company invested in the future of sustainable forestry globally with specific focus on Africa.  We strive to meet the passions and needs of the people associated with forests, enabling these forests to produce products while providing communities with sustainable sources of income and livelihoods.

We achieve this through the provision of professional cost-effective solutions to forestry, forest product processing and provide support to other organisations involved in productivity from land.  In line with national sustainable development strategies, we focus on restoration of degraded land back to functional ecosystems and returning land back to full productivity for the provision of ecological functions.

While also meeting the social objectives of these governments, local communities and indigenous people living in these areas.  Forestry Solutions Africa is based in Mauritius with an office in Zimbabwe. The company links into a network of consultants covering most fields of forest management.

Mission

Providing professional and consistent long-term solutions

Developing and implementing sustainable solutions to global ecological and social concerns

Providing assessment and due diligence services, management systems, methodologies and tools to utilise economic development to help protect and restore degraded land. While utilising land areas that people depend on to provide social economic benefits and community upliftment.

Ongoing training and monitoring of implementation of these solutions.

Consulting on locally adapted solutions that meet our client needs and address global concerns.

Partnering with carefully selected specialists who share our ethics, vision, mission and long-term goals.

History

Expansion & Growth

Forestry Solutions Africa was first registered in Mauritius in 2015 with its founders having had over 50 years of experience in land-based resource management and consultancy.  Our consultants have experience in the forestry, timber processing, ESG and impact fields across sub-Saharan Africa.

The company and our consultants have worked with clients in East, West and Southern Africa, reviewing Risk Assessments, undertaking ESG and technically due diligence, High Conservation Value Assessments, conducting gap analysis of client systems and then assisting clients with preparation of their management systems, including for FSC® forest stewardship standards preparation and ongoing management.  We have also undertaken Controlled Wood Risk Assessments and assisted clients in the attainment of their FSC Chain of Custody certification.

We have undertaken evaluations of client’s programs for feasibility to achieving Forest Landscape Restoration and Carbon. Certification. We have assisted clients working with smallholders by developing management systems, policies, procedures and work instructions for forestry and agricultural commodity crops.  This is just a small part of the many projects that we have undertaken.

Expertise

Consultancy Services

We work in sub-Saharan Africa.

We have specific experience in: Eswatini (Swaziland), Ghana, Kenya,  Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Papua New Guinea, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, South Africa, South Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Zimbabwe.

International certification standards (IFC Performance Standards, FSC, Verra, CCB, Gold Standard), including gap analysis’ against these.

Project Development Environment, Social Governance (ESG) Due Diligence.

Risk assessment and mitigation, including FSC Controlled Wood Risk Assessment.

High conservation value assessment.

Restoration and development in remote rural locations, including development of Environmental Social Action Plan’s (ESAP) and ongoing monitoring of these.

Occupational Health and Safety Audits, including Safety Culture Change initiatives.

Development of Group Schemes , including working with local producers in group formats.
Maximising land productivity while ensuring protection of key environmental and social assets.
Development of effective management systems, polices, procedures and work instructions.

The Team

The team has a network of exceptional consultants and partners within the African forestry sphere which they can call on should a project require additional skills.
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Stuart Valintine
Diploma in Forestry and Bachelor of Technology in Forestry

Stuart Valintine started working on international certification standards to meet best practices for both forestry and forest product processing in the mid-90s. He develops management systems and assisted companies implement Forest Management Standards to meet certification requirements. Stuart also assists with compliance systems across land use, ecosystem service and product processing. As a consultant, Stuart has assisted in developing management systems for predominantly forestry and forest product processing organizations across 13 sub-Saharan African countries and in Papua New Guinea. This includes natural forest and plantation production forests and restoration. Stuart has undertaken several risk assessments for various organizations across Africa to consider their risk exposure and mitigation measures for legality, human rights compliance, High Conservation Value management and forest conversion mitigation.

Stuart has worked with the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC®) assisting in developing their policy to address (forest) conversion and remedy processes, being contracted to their Working Groups as the Chairman and drafter for these processes. Since 2021, Stuart has been serving on the FSC International Board of Directors.

Stephanie Bishop
BSC Environmental Science and MA African Studies

Stephanie is an Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) and Risk Management specialist with fifteen years’ experience in the African Forestry sector. Her professional history is made up of forestry fund management and senior implementation roles in East and West Africa, including hands-on greenfield project implementation.

With a robust background in managing intricate projects through a risk-based approach, Stephanie is well-versed in international standards such as the IFC Performance Standards, FSC Principles and Criteria, and the Verra Verified Carbon Standard, encompassing Climate, Community, and Biodiversity considerations. Her project implementation expertise extends across various African countries including Sierra Leone, Ghana, Nigeria, Mozambique, Tanzania, Uganda, Kenya, and South Africa. Stephanie has overseen projects funded by international Development Finance Institutes (DFIs), granting her valuable insight into navigating complex governance structures and reporting requirements.

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Our Values
Forestry Solutions Africa has certain key values, such as honesty (integrity and ethics), a positive attitude (find the solutions) and work fulfilment (doing what we love and are passionate about). We believe that we are in the business for the long term and therefore have selected the slogan: “Sustaining tomorrow together”.
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Our Vision
We aim to provide support and be long term partners with entities developing sustainable solutions in the southern hemisphere. Working alongside organisations to develop long term sustainable forestry goals
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Our Mission
Providing long-term solutions to our partners. Developing and implementing sustainable solutions to global ecological and social concerns. Providing management systems. Ongoing Training. Consulting on locally adapted solutions .

“In the end we will conserve only what we love; we will love only what we understand; and we will understand only what we are taught.”

Baba Dioum, 1968