| (a) | cut, disturb, damage or destroy any indigenous tree in a natural forests; or |
| (b) | possess, collect, remove, transport, export, purchase, sell, donate or in any other manner acquire or dispose of any tree, or any forest product derived from a tree contemplated in paragraph (a), except in terms of— |
| (i) | a licence issued tinder subsection (4) or section 23; or |
| (ii) | an exemption from the provisions of this subsection published by the Minister in the Gazette on the advice of the Council. |
| (2) | The Minister may declare to be a natural forest a group of indigenous trees— |
| (a) | whose crowns are not largely contiguous; or |
| (b) | where there is doubt as to whether or not their crowns are largely contiguous, |
if he or she is of the opinion, based on scientific advice, that the trees make up a forest which needs to be protected in terms of this Part.
| (3) | The Minister declares a forest to be a natural forest by— |
| (a) | publishing a notice in the Gazette; |
| (b) | publishing a notice in two newspapers circulating in the area; and |
| (c) | airing a notice on two radio stations broadcasting to the area. |
| (4) | The Minister may license one or more of the activities referred to in paragraph (a) or (b) of subsection (12). |
