The AfriForum branch in Schweizer-Reneke planted five white stinkwood trees on 11 September 2019 at one of the town’s entrances as part of the civil rights organisation’s annual arbour month project.
According to Alta Pretorius, AfriForum’s District Coordinator for Stellaland, the organisation intends on planting more than 3 000 trees countrywide this year.
“By planting indigenous trees we are not only preserving our environment and making it a more beautiful place to live in, but we are also showing that we have hope for the future. Trees are much more than simply an important part of the ecosystem or an essential natural resource – trees are symbolic of life,” says Pretorius.
AfriForum annually focuses on both a tree specie that occurs commonly and a scarce tree specie. The common tree for 2019 is the marula (Sclerocarya birrea), while the scarce tree is the apple leaf (Philenoptera violacea). AfriForum encourages its members to plant indigenous trees that thrive in their environments.
“Arbour month offers the perfect opportunity to make a lasting difference in our communities. However, trees are in need of continuous care to prosper to the benefit of everyone and the AfriForum branch in Schweizer-Reneke undertakes to supply this care. It is symbolic of the fact that we are here to stay and have hope for the future,” says Pretorius.
The branch encourages the community to become involved with the project and become part of a greener future.