Honouring her pledge to plant trees across the Overstrand, Mayor Annelie Rabie and her Council planted a white pear tree next to the additional court in Hermanus to end off Arbour Month.
Mayco member for Community Services, Cllr Ronald Nutt, made use of the opportunity to hand over the Arbour City Award certificate and trophy the Municipality won at the beginning of the month.
If anyone in the community planted trees during Arbour Month and would like to be counted towards the end goal of the Government’s 10 million tree programme, please email enquiries@overstrand.gov.za (for the attention of Lauren Rainbird) stating the name of the tree and the number of trees that were planted.
Remember that the maintenance of the trees is vital, and the new trees need regular watering – especially in our hot summer months.
Another thing to look out for is the threat of the polyphagous shot hole borer (PSHB) which has started attacking and killing off trees in the Somerset West region.
The Shot Hole Borer is a tiny invasive black beetle that is smaller than a sesame seed that digs tunnels into numerous tree species to lay eggs and deposit fungus that block the tree’s internal transport system.
The fungus in the tunnels disrupts the flow of water and nutrients to the tree, causing branch dieback and ultimately the death of the tree.
The most common symptoms of infected trees are gum or sap oozing on the bark, entry and exit holes (1mm wide), sugary deposits, sawdust, staining on sapwood and bark, and dieback. Symptoms are unique to each tree species.
Please let us know if the tell tail signs of this borer is detected in any trees.
