Cape Town is planning to count all of its trees – here’s why property owners should take note
The City of Cape Town’s Parks and Recreation Department has announced that it is planning a ‘tree census’ – a plan to count of all trees in the city.
The city said that the census will help determine whether Cape Town can be classed as an ‘urban forest’ – which is an urban area with a tree cover of more than 10% – and it will also allow for a tree inventory detailing the location and condition of trees.
This will help determine how many trees need to be planted to help offset the city’s carbon emissions, the city said.
Aside from the environmental benefits, the city also noted that the aesthetic beauty of trees can also have an impact on the value of property – increasing potential prices by between 5% and 15%.
“We have had to revisit our approach to Arbor Month, specifically because of the drought and the realisation that we live in a water-scarce region,” said the city’s mayoral committee member for safety and security, Alderman JP Smith.
“So the days of large-scale planting are over. Now, it’s a case of planting smartly and taking better care of our existing trees.”
Alderman said that some of the benefits of planting trees and caring for them appropriately include:
- Trees absorb carbon dioxide through photosynthesis which would otherwise be released into the atmosphere and contribute to climate change;
- Trees provide shade in summer and shelter from the elements during winter;
- Trees provide aesthetic appeal and add an estimated 5 – 15% value to any suburb or property.
“We’ve moved from Arbor Day to Arbor Week to Arbor Month; this is a signal of just how important this issue is and should be to each and every one of us,” he said.
“The city calls on Capetonians to help preserve this precious resource and to support tree planting while remaining mindful of our limited water resources.”
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