Page 26 - Landscape-Issue123

Trees in Wilgeheuwel Park add value to the area

stems, straightening of skew-growing trees for this pest to prevent future disasters. sequestration value of this tree planting
and the repair of bark damage caused by project would be R46 460 511. However, due
bark harvesting activities. Often, more than The “missing trees” that were identified could to the number of existing trees identified by
one type of maintenance was required on be a great opportunity for JCPZ to plant new this research, the value of this project will only
the same tree. It is well known in urban trees to try and improve the survival rate of the be approximately R10 110 550. It is wasteful
forestry that maintenance of young trees is project. It is also crucial to educate residents and does not add value to successfully plant a
essential for their successful establishment, about the importance of trees in the urban large number of trees if you cannot keep all of
and it is concerning to report the lack of environment, prevent further vandalism them alive and growing well. In future, it will
maintenance of these trees. and damage to trees in public spaces, and be more important to aim to keep a smaller
to try and foster some form of ownership of number of trees alive rather than aim to just
Most of the trees did not have any pests these trees. Local authorities should focus on plant a large number of trees.
or diseases but insects such as aphids and improving the maintenance and watering of
scale, and diseases such as sooty mould, newly planted trees to improve the survival Information adapted from:
were found in conjunction with the aphids. of tree planting projects and to prevent Van Staden, E.M. (2021) An assessment of the trees
Combretum erythrophylum trees had the least further damage to the urban forest. A need of the Greening Soweto tree planting project in
and Olea europaea subsp africana trees had for formative and corrective pruning of new Johannesburg, South Africa, University of South
the most pests and diseases. In all cases, the and established trees has been highlighted Africa, Pretoria.
pest infestation was very light. No presence and requires attention to prevent worst-case
of the Polyphagous Shot Hole Borer and the scenarios in the future. Van Staden, E.M. & Stoffberg G.H. (2021) The Greening
fungus (Fusarium euwallaceae) that grows in Soweto tree planting project in South Africa –
the tunnels made by the borer was identified, Our calculations indicate that if all the planted Eliminating the “Green Divide” Legacy of Apartheid.
but it is important to be vigilant in scouting trees are still growing in 2031, the carbon Urban Forestry & Urban Greening 65, 127371. n