From donating fruit trees to leaving trees for the community to collect and plant themselves, Stellenbosch is making sure Arbor Week is a green one!
Stellenbosch, South Africa (02 September 2021) – On the 1st September 2021, Mayor Gesie van Deventer and Municipal Manager Geraldine Mettler joined staff and residents in launching our commemoration of National Arbor Week.
The theme adopted by Stellenbosch Municipality for this year is Planting Hope. Trees in the historic Plein Street and in front of the Town Hall have been draped in turquoise, a unique colour representing hope, wisdom, tranquillity, protection, and good fortune. Importantly, turquoise is also the colour of serenity and calmness, something that the entire world needs a lot of as we recover from the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdowns.
“We kick-off our week of activities by wrapping the tree in front of the Town Hall in turquoise. What better way to start this new month and this new season with a dash of hope – something we definitely need a lot of as we battle this COVID-19 pandemic. Hope for our town and hope for our country. Hope that we will recover following the devastating impact that COVID-19 has had on our communities”, said Mayor van Deventer.
Arbor Week is always a highlight for the “City of Oaks”. Over the past few years, the team’s focus has been to plant indigenous trees across the municipal area while also replacing many of the older giant oaks in the historic centre of Stellenbosch.
National Arbor 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.
During the upcoming week, the municipality will be planting trees at key locations, such as the community skate park and donating trees to the community so they can plant them in their gardens. The best part is, they are also donating 30 fruit trees at Landquedoc.
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