Bees, gum trees and regulations

This guide by WWF South Africa provides landowners with a framework for managing eucalyptus (gum) trees in balance with honey bee conservation and national environmental regulations. It clarifies which gum species are invasive, where they must be removed, and how landowners can apply for permits to retain specific trees to support the beekeeping and agricultural industries.

• Honey bees are critical to South Africa's agricultural economy, pollinating over 50 crops with an estimated annual value exceeding R10.3 billion. Gum trees are essential to this process, as they provide a reliable flow of nectar and pollen, contributing to approximately 50% of the country's total honey crop.
• While over 85 species of eucalyptus grow in South Africa, only six are classified as Category 1b Listed Invasive Species. These invasive species increase fire risk and can use up to 12 times more water than indigenous trees.
• The six invasive gum species identified as the "red list" are the River red gum (Eucalyptus camaldulensis and hybrids with E. tereticornis), Spider gum (Eucalyptus conferruminate), Saligna gum/rose gum (Eucalyptus grandis and hybrids), Sugar gum (Eucalyptus cladocalyx), Karri (Eucalyptus diversicolor), and Forest red gum (Eucalyptus tereticornis).
• Regulations mandate the removal of all gum species—regardless of whether they are invasive—from riparian areas, defined as areas within 32 metres of the edge of a river, lake, dam, wetland, or estuary, or within the 1:100-year floodline. This is due to their high water usage and negative impact on downstream ecosystems.
• Landowners may keep invasive gum species without removal if they meet specific criteria: the land is in the Nama Karoo, Succulent Karoo, or desert biomes; the trees are in cultivated land at least 50 metres from natural land; they are within 50 metres of the main farmhouse; they are in an existing formal plantation; or they are in urban areas with a trunk diameter over 400 mm (at 1,000 mm height) as of 1 October 2014.
• Landowners can apply for a Category 2 permit from the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DEFF) to retain invasive gums if they serve a specific function, such as a "bee-forage area", wind-row, or plantation. This application requires an Environmental Risk Assessment report conducted by a registered specialist at the landowner's expense.
• To mitigate the loss of bee forage after removing invasive gums, landowners are encouraged to plant indigenous pollinator-friendly plants, use complementary planting (such as lavender, basil, clover, or vetch), and avoid spraying chemicals when crops are in flower.

APA

Puttergill, E., Masehela, T., & Fuller, S. (2023). Bees, gum trees and regulations. WWF South Africa. https://wwfafrica.awsassets.panda.org/downloads/wwf_bees_gum_trees_regulations_eng.pdf

Chicago

Puttergill, Eve, Tlou Masehela, and Shelly Fuller. Bees, gum trees and regulations. WWF South Africa, 2023. https://wwfafrica.awsassets.panda.org/downloads/wwf_bees_gum_trees_regulations_eng.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Puttergill |first1=Eve |last2=Masehela |first2=Tlou |last3=Fuller |first3=Shelly |title=Bees, gum trees and regulations |publisher=WWF South Africa |date=2023 |url=https://wwfafrica.awsassets.panda.org/downloads/wwf_bees_gum_trees_regulations_eng.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{puttergill2023bees, author = {Puttergill, Eve and Masehela, Tlou and Fuller, Shelly}, title = {{Bees, gum trees and regulations}}, institution = {WWF South Africa}, year = {2023}, url = {https://wwfafrica.awsassets.panda.org/downloads/wwf_bees_gum_trees_regulations_eng.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }