Phillip Mpangela – Guardian of the KwaMbo Forests is a profile of a small-scale timber farmer in KwaMbonambi, northern KwaZulu-Natal, who has been growing trees for 25 years. Phillip started working the family forests with his father straight out of high school in 1997, and over time took over and expanded the operation to more than 30 hectares of Eucalyptus plantations. saforestryonline
A key partnership underpins his business – Khulanathi Forestry supplies seedlings and market access, while Mondi Zimele sponsors those seedlings as part of a broader programme supporting small-scale growers in the region. Timber is sold either to the Khulanathi depot in KwaMbonambi or directly to the Mondi Mill in Richards Bay.
