The AfriForum branch in Paulpietersburg planted five white stinkwood and five pompon trees at various schools and the local retirement home as part of the civil rights organisation’s annual arbour month project.
According to Eugene van Aswegen, AfriForum’s district coordinator for KwaZulu-Natal, 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 Van Aswegen.
AfriForum annually focuses on both a tree species that occurs commonly and a scarce tree species. 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 need continuous care to prosper to the benefit of everyone and the AfriForum branch in Paulpietersburg undertakes to supply this care. It is symbolic of the fact that we are here to stay and have hope for the future,” says George Scholtz, Chairperson of the youth portfolio of the Paulpietersburg branch.
The branch encourages the community to get involved with the project and become part of a progressive and greener future.