Commercial Timber Harvesting in MozambiqueRed Ivory Trading - suppliers of indigenous South African Timber
Welcome to Red Ivory Trading
Red Ivory Trading is a business that has been set up to encourage the wise and sustainable use of indigenous products, specifically indigenous trees. Barry James, the founder, is an ecologist and wildlife consultant who has seen the benefits to conservation of the wise use of indigenous products. This has been particularly evident in the rapid growth of the game ranching industry in South Africa and the benefits that have accrued to conservation through the growth of the industry and the reestablishment of animal species in places where they had been extinct for over 100 years.
About the Company
Exclusive Red Ivory Trading was conceived of, and started by, Barry and Danielle James, in 2005.
I, Barry, am a professional ecologist, who, with my wife, Danielle, have been running an Environmental Consultancy, Brousse-James & Associates, since October 1997. Most of the work has revolved around Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA’s), specialist botanical studies for the EIA process and Wildlife Management and Game Ranch development projects. It has been a successful business that, by 2006 was giving us a reasonably comfortable lifestyle. At that stage, we had more work than we could cope with, but decided not to increase the size of our business and lose the personal touch. This growth was achieved with no advertising and was as a result of referrals and return business, based on personal service, reliability and attention to detail. However, by 2006, the strain of “selling time” was beginning to show and other opportunities were being explored.
I have always enjoyed working with wood and have always had a passion for wood. As a small boy I loved woodwork lessons at school and loved tinkering around in my Dad’s workshop. I started restoring furniture as a teenager and since then have furnished almost our entire house with restored furniture.
When I became a game ranger, I discovered that I had a passion for trees, found it easy to learn the Latin names and was interested in the social, spiritual, medicinal, functional and food uses of trees. During my time with the Natal Parks Board, I led wilderness trails for three years and always found myself talking to guests more about the trees than the “big and hairy” animals. Whilst in the Natal Parks Board, I developed a keen interest in conservation of natural resources by means of wise use of those resources and I used to dream about the day that I would have a company that put that ideal into action. In 1996, I was offered an opportunity to do an MSc, looking at the recovery of Coastal Dune Forest on the Eastern Shores of Lake St Lucia, which I accepted. That further increased my interest in and knowledge of trees. Although Danielle is trained in English and Socio-cultural Anthropology, she also has a passion for, and a good knowledge of, trees. Wherever we have lived, we have worked towards an indigenous garden, replacing exotic, high maintenance plants with indigenous trees and shrubs, eliminating the need for watering, and attracting birds and insects.
In 2005, I was doing a game count on a client’s game ranch and the client pointed out the trees that the elephants were pushing over, and asked me, “Do you know anyone who would be prepared to buy this wood?” That was the beginning of Red Ivory Trading.
The important thing to note is that Red Ivory Trading has been built on the basis of my (Barry’s) relationships, built up over many years with the landowners and conservation community, of knowledge of the natural environment of South Africa, particularly KwaZulu-Natal, and on knowledge of trees and wood. It is driven by passion and a belief that the cultivation of an interest in indigenous trees and wood will help to conserve those species.
I, Barry, am a professional ecologist, who, with my wife, Danielle, have been running an Environmental Consultancy, Brousse-James & Associates, since October 1997. Most of the work has revolved around Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA’s), specialist botanical studies for the EIA process and Wildlife Management and Game Ranch development projects. It has been a successful business that, by 2006 was giving us a reasonably comfortable lifestyle. At that stage, we had more work than we could cope with, but decided not to increase the size of our business and lose the personal touch. This growth was achieved with no advertising and was as a result of referrals and return business, based on personal service, reliability and attention to detail. However, by 2006, the strain of “selling time” was beginning to show and other opportunities were being explored.
I have always enjoyed working with wood and have always had a passion for wood. As a small boy I loved woodwork lessons at school and loved tinkering around in my Dad’s workshop. I started restoring furniture as a teenager and since then have furnished almost our entire house with restored furniture.
When I became a game ranger, I discovered that I had a passion for trees, found it easy to learn the Latin names and was interested in the social, spiritual, medicinal, functional and food uses of trees. During my time with the Natal Parks Board, I led wilderness trails for three years and always found myself talking to guests more about the trees than the “big and hairy” animals. Whilst in the Natal Parks Board, I developed a keen interest in conservation of natural resources by means of wise use of those resources and I used to dream about the day that I would have a company that put that ideal into action. In 1996, I was offered an opportunity to do an MSc, looking at the recovery of Coastal Dune Forest on the Eastern Shores of Lake St Lucia, which I accepted. That further increased my interest in and knowledge of trees. Although Danielle is trained in English and Socio-cultural Anthropology, she also has a passion for, and a good knowledge of, trees. Wherever we have lived, we have worked towards an indigenous garden, replacing exotic, high maintenance plants with indigenous trees and shrubs, eliminating the need for watering, and attracting birds and insects.
In 2005, I was doing a game count on a client’s game ranch and the client pointed out the trees that the elephants were pushing over, and asked me, “Do you know anyone who would be prepared to buy this wood?” That was the beginning of Red Ivory Trading.
The important thing to note is that Red Ivory Trading has been built on the basis of my (Barry’s) relationships, built up over many years with the landowners and conservation community, of knowledge of the natural environment of South Africa, particularly KwaZulu-Natal, and on knowledge of trees and wood. It is driven by passion and a belief that the cultivation of an interest in indigenous trees and wood will help to conserve those species.
All of the timber that we obtain and market comes from three main sources.
- Trees that have been pushed over by elephants;
- FSC Certified logs purchased on the South African National Parks Board auctions in Knysna;
- Salvage wood from instances where people have obtained legitimate permits to fell trees for mining, agriculture or other developments.
Our long-term goal is to encourage the commercial planting of indigenous trees in appropriate habitats and to rehabilitate degraded indigenous forests. We are also in a position to consult to ensure the wise management of forest concession areas in South Africa and surrounding countries.