Experts to tackle the issue of the unabated logging
The Namibia Scientific Society will hold a talk on the ‘Legal Framework and Duties of Government Regarding Natural Resources and their Protection’, by Willem Odendaal from the Legal Assistance Centre and Andrew Fordred a Forensic Investigation Specialist, tonight at 19:30 at the Scientific Society
The panelists will focus on investigations and shortcoming in the prosecution of alleged illegal logging, with the aim to answer questions like: is sustainable timber harvesting really only the responsibility of the conservancies and tribal authorities?
Statistics reveal that between 1990 and 2000, Namibia lost an average of 72,900 hectares of forest per year, which amounts to an average annual deforestation rate of 0.83%.
Between 2000 and 2005, Namibia lost 12.6 of its forest cover or around 1 101 000 hectares. Measuring the total rate of habitat conversion for the 1990 to 2005 interval, Namibia lost 9.3% of its forest and woodland habitat.
Willem Odendaal is a Project Coordinator and Legal Practitioner- Land, Environment and Development Project of the Legal Assistance Centre and well know as a Human Rights lawyer and expert on land issues.
While Andrew Fordred served as an intelligence officer for the Crime Intelligence Service of the South African Police with the then Organized Crime Intelligence Unit. After leaving the police service, he held a number of corporate positions until 2007 when he started his own business doing forensic investigations, intelligence, risk management consultancy, court testimony and litigation support.
He has completed a forensic investigation degree focusing on forensic intelligence with a qualitative case study of the Cali drug cartels and he is currently providing due diligence, intelligence and cyber security services to clients with emphasis on open source intelligence and the dark web.
