About 6,500 street and fruit trees, were planted in Johannesburg this Arbor Month. These trees are both indigenous and ornamental.
Joburg City Parks and Zoo, said the plan is to plant 50,000 new trees by June 2026.
Jenny Moodley, Spokesperson of City Parks and Zoo, said on Friday, Arbor Month is more than an annual campaign, but a call to action for every citizen to recognise the vital role that trees play in sustaining life, protecting the environment, and ensuring the wellbeing of communities.
“This year’s activities were hosted in parks, schools, and public spaces across the City, with a strong emphasis on education, community participation, and restoring Johannesburg’s reputation as one of the world’s largest human-made urban forests” said Moodley.
She said cities globally are losing trees at an alarming rate, due to urban development.
She said Joburg trees were planted ages ago and are now reaching the end of their natural lifespan, making them vulnerable to disease, pest infestations, and are susceptible to being uprooted during storms and heavy rains.
“Added to this is the pressure from illegal tree felling by residents unaware of the City’s zero-tolerant bylaws governing street trees with penalties up to R320k for the illegal felling of a tree.“
She agrees there is a tree divide in Joburg, a gap the Soweto Environment’s Gift Malapane Mathe, said must be closed.
“The green divide that persists in Johannesburg, however, has deeper roots. It stems from the City’s early mining history and how Johannesburg expanded from its centre. While the central and northern suburbs were historically planted and landscaped, the outskirts of the City were left largely barren — a pattern that endures to this day, that City Parks has been working hard to reverse.”
The planting of 6,500 trees during Arbor Month is part of a broader strategy by the parks to restore balance, close the green divide, and secure the future of Johannesburg’s canopy.
Picture: iStock aerial photos of Orlando, Soweto (cover) and Parktown,Northern Suburbs