Dr Tammy Bush is not only a very capable scientist and manager, but also has the vision to "use our trees smartly" |
Dr Tammy Bush
Have you ever looked at those straight growing trees in plantations next to the road and wondered how on earth they grow like telephone poles from the very start?
Light is shed on this by Dr Tammy Bush, of the forestry and forest products research centre of the CSIR in Durban. Not only is she a very capable scientist and manager, but also has the vision to "use our trees smartly".
She says most of those trees are clones of one another. When the original tree has a characteristic of interest or value, all its clones will have the same characteristics, making it more valuable for processing than seedlings.
For almost six years Bush has been coordinating a plethora of forestry research projects at the centre. "South Africa is one of the world leaders in plantation forestry, which is complemented by our favourable climate. For example, the average eucalypt in a plantation in South Africa will take about five to 12 years to mature. In the US and Europe the average time could be double or more than that. South African pines mature in 12 to 25 years, whereas in North America and Europe, this can take up to 50 years," she explains. "And in South Africa, we're doing this on inferior land and sometimes at impossible altitudes."
Despite fast growth implantation species in South Africa, the country is still not able to produce enough hardwood to meet the demands for pulp and paper. "Did you know that we actually have to import recycled paper from which to make toilet paper?"
Bush is passionate about the various research projects currently being undertaken at the centre. "At the moment we use only about 20% of the tree while also producing a lot of waste during the manufacturing process. One of our goals is to optimise the use of the whole tree."
At each of the laboratories at the CSIR centre interns and scientists are analysing everything from the very core of a single fibre, to improving the recycling of so-called 'stickies' - all the glue used in magazines needs to be removed from waste paper before it can be recycled.
The main focus of each and every project is to do more with less, as well as trying to green the process as much as possible. "If we can understand the very fibre of a specific tree, we can better predict things like its potential pulp yield, whether the fibre is suitable for high quality paper or packaging material - some of these decisions can have major economic impacts," she says.
Bush studied in the UK and has worked at several major chemical companies before joining the CSIR. Her experience and knowledge, together with her energy, passion and commitment are shaping her destiny of distinguishing herself - so unlike the row upon row of similar trees that have become her subject matter.
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