Concerns have been raised over a rise in bark-stripping in parks, gardens and forests across Cape Town, after a 150-year-old tree was stripped of its bark last weekend.
The tree is an araucaria hetrophylla or Norfolk Island pine, and is estimated to be over 150 years old.
“This tree was part of the original avenue of trees that led up to The Hill, the homestead of the Arderne family,” said Paul Barker, horticulturist at Arderne Gardens.
Barker expressed concern about a rise in bark-stripping in parks, gardens and forests across Cape Town. It is understood that the bark is being sold for medicinal use, however, Barker emphasised that there was absolutely no use for the bark of this particular tree in traditional medicine.
“Luckily this was spotted early and the remaining bark was devalued by painting it with grey paint,” said Bakker.
Two days after this incident, another tree inside Arderne Gardens was stripped of a significant amount of its bark. The second tree stripped of its bark was a young cinnamomum camphora or camphor tree, which is widely known to be used for medicinal purposes.
“This tree is about 20 years old and was planted as a replacement tree in the event that the older camphor trees die. Incidentally, this was the only camphor tree that was not painted to protect it from bark-strippers,” said Barker.
Barker said that the tree would survive but having its bark stripped would significantly impact its ability to thrive.
“The person knew what they were doing. They left just enough to allow it to survive,” said Barker.
Vuyiswa Maposa, who serves as a manager to several parks within the City of Cape Town, expressed her concerns about the safety of historic trees in Cape Town.
“The gardens is fenced but somehow they got in. It could even have happened during the day when it's quiet. They see security guards busy on the other side and they quickly strip the bark,” said Maposa.
Maposa was not convinced that the camphor tree would survive for long. She said she had seen what happened to trees that had been stripped of their bark at parks across the city.
“The tree will survive but for how long? It takes one storm to bring a tree down,” said Maposa.
In August, an old tree at Wynberg Park that had its bark stripped a few months previously, collapsed after a storm.
Francois Krige, an arborist who serves as chairperson of the Friends of the Arderne Gardens (Fotag), is concerned about the threats that trees in Cape Town have been facing recently.
“It takes minutes for someone to destroy trees that have taken hundreds of years to grow to this point, and this is done for short-term profit,” said Krige.
“It is worrying for those trying to protect trees. The species being targeted are exotic trees with no medicinal value. The people who are bark-stripping are criminals and opportunists and not traditional healers. We are calling for traditional healers to reject bark.
“One traditional healer that I spoke to said that the demand is insatiable and that bark-stripping will not stop. I said that this practice will stop, either when resources are exhausted and the trees are close to extinction, or because sustainable harvesting will be made available,” said Krige.
“Trees have huge immunity value to all South Africans. It is an incredibly selfish act by those debarking trees.”
Barker expressed concern that the consequences faced by those caught in the act were minor.
“Arderne Gardens is a provincial heritage site but if anyone is caught doing this they would only be fined for R500,” said Barker.
Barker's main concern now is protecting all remaining trees, which he hopes to have painted with the permission of the City of Cape Town.
Mayco member for community health and safety Patricia van der Ross confirmed that this was an issue of concern across the city.
She said that with sufficient evidence, culprits could be prosecuted in terms of the City’s parks by-law, however, there had been no recent arrests.
The parks by-law indicates that any unauthorised cutting of public trees without permission is an offence and that any person who contravenes or fails to comply with such a notice in this by-law, if convicted, shall be liable for a fine or up to 6 months’ imprisonment, or to both a fine and imprisonment.
“The City is considering a new tree by-law that may address this issue better. As it is an extensive exercise, it may take time to introduce this,” said Van der Ross.
“The City also appreciates the effort the Fotag group undertook to paint possible target trees,” she added.
Maposa was saddened that the situation had reached this point.
“It is sad that people won't let nature be and appreciate these beautiful trees,” she said.
Residents can report incidents to a law enforcement member or to the nearest neighbourhood private security entity.