A ceremony was recently held in front of Stellenbosch Town Hall to celebrate the start of National Arbour Week.
The ceremony took place on 1 September, according to Stuart Grobbelaar, spokesperson of Stellenbosch Municipality. Arbour Week, which is celebrated during the first week of September, is intended to emphasise the importance of planting indigenous trees, according to a government press release.
“[Arbour Week allows] the government, the private sector, non-governmental and community-based organisations, and the public, to be involved in ‘greening’ their communities,” according to the release.
Sivuyela Kweleta, senior horticulturist of facilities management at Stellenbosch University (SU), assists in planting a silver oak tree in front of the Old Main Building on the SU campus. SU is partaking in National Arbour Week by planting several trees on campus. “Indigenous trees are adapted to survive in the weather conditions of our area. In the Cape, trees can withstand the very dry summer months, while being nearly flooded in the wet winter months. Indigenous trees help create resilient ecosystems that can survive climate challenges like the recent drought we had,” said Christine Groenewald, the project coordinator of the SU faculty of medicine and health sciences’ Dean’s Advisory Committee on Environmental Sustainability. PHOTO: Marianne Francis Stewart
The Stellenbosch Arbour Week launch involved the wrapping of trees in turquoise material, as well as tree-planting efforts in locations throughout the area. A number of indigenous trees were planted in Plein Street, Klapmuts, Franschhoek, and on the R44 and R310, said Grobbelaar.
“The municipality always participates by planting mostly indigenous trees across the municipal area,” said Grobbelaar.
Stellenbosch Municipality is also participating in a week-long tree-planting initiative run by the department of agriculture, land reform and rural development (DALRRD) – the official custodian of forestry in South Africa. The initiative, which started on 31 August, is intended to celebrate Arbour Week, according to Grobbelaar.
“National Arbour Week is an opportune time to call on all South Africans to plant indigenous trees as a practical and symbolic gesture of sustainable environmental management,” said Grobbelaar.
Stellenbosch University participates
Stellenbosch University’s (SU) Sustainability Unit will also participate in Arbour Week by planting trees at the new extension of the Civil Engineering Building, the Krotoa Building (formerly known as the RW Wilcocks Building) and the Old Main Building.
This was according to Christine Groenewald, the project coordinator of the SU faculty of medicine and health sciences’ Dean’s Advisory Committee on Environmental Sustainability.
“We have a collaborative effort between the landscaping team and the sustainability unit within property services, to plant around 50 to 60 trees,” said Groenewald.
The importance of planting indigenous trees
“It is important to be informed by what would naturally grow in a place…and indigenous trees in the areas they would naturally grow are an integral part of a healthy ecosystem, providing shelter and habitat to many animal species,” said Phillipa Huntly, conservation scientist at Cape Nature.
As part of the ceremony that celebrated the start of National Arbour Week on 1 September, Stellenbosch Municipality wrapped the trees on Plein Street in turquoise material. This was intended to represent the theme of Planting Hope. PHOTO: Marianne Francis Stewart
Huntly told MatieMedia that indigenous trees are water-wise, and support the larger network of life in an area. By planting indigenous trees such as the Soetdoring (Acacia karroo), many other plants and animals that have interdependent relationships with these trees will be supported, explained Huntly.
Small animals use indigenous trees as nesting sites and habitats. “Alien trees, on the other hand, are often harmful to the indigenous environment as they displace indigenous species and also typically need far more water than indigenous species,” said Huntly.
The Spekboom (Portulacaria afra) is one of the indigenous trees that people are urged to plant during National Arbour Week, because it helps fight climate change and air pollution, according to Shamwari. PHOTO: Marianne Francis Stewart