The Johannesburg City Parks and Zoo (JCPZ) say that plans are being made to address the City's longstanding issue of unevenly distributed trees in parts of Johannesburg, with more trees planted in the northern areas and fewer trees planted in the southern areas. The plans include large-scale greening initiatives in historically underserved communities.
For many years Johannesburg has been known for its urban forest, yet tree coverage remains unevenly distributed. To mitigate this, JCPZ continues to plant more trees across the city, with the focus on townships like Soweto, Orange Farm and Alexandra.
JCPZ's efforts form part of a bigger strategy to improve climate change, create a more environmentally equal city for its residents and improve the quality of life through more accessible green spaces. The JCPZ recently published a 170-page book on 34 urban forests in Africa and other parts of the world, with case studies from 75 contributors, 80% of those from the continent.
Some of the case studies contained in the book include the fact that some communities in Soweto have rejected trees as they fear that they will attract owls. In African folklore owls are associated with evil spirits although they are harmless to humans and are effective in controlling pests like rats and mice. Another interesting fact is that 96% of Johannesburg's trees are made up of just four types of trees: oaks, maples, plane trees and jacaranda.
Keep up with the latest headlines on WhatsApp | LinkedIn
Currently, the City plants over 10 000 trees annually and continues to distribute ornamental and fruit trees with organisations like the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and Environment (DFFE) and Scaling Urban Nature-based Solutions for Climate Adaptation in Sub-Saharan Africa (SUNCASA) in communities including Kanana and Alexandra.
Moodley, JCPZ spokesperson, said the City implemented an ambitious greening programme called the Greening of Soweto as part of 2010 FIFA World Cup. Twenty thousand trees were planted in previously disadvantaged communities such as Soweto and Orange Farm.
According to Moodley, areas with low tree coverage and green spaces are found in Regions A, B, C and D which includes Ivory Park, Riverlea, Pennyville, Matholesville, Tshepisong, Braamfischerville, Orange Farm, Poortjie and Kanana.
In the last five years JCPZ has planted 93 093 across the City of Johannesburg including 69 868 ornamental trees, 19 402 fruit trees, 3 730 shrubs and 93 palm trees. These were planted in all Joburg's seven regions.
Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
The city has set a target of 14 000 trees for this year and aims to plant over one million trees in the next five years.
"Trees and urban spaces cool the city, reduce storm- water flows and nutrient loads, reduce air pollution, air- borne particulates and greenhouse gas. Trees provide habitat and enhance levels of biodiversity, absorbing carbon dioxide to address climate change, and access to nature and healthy communities. Trees also reduce heat related illnesses, improves human well-being and mental health and helps people to reconnect with nature," said Moodley.
Moodley says challenges remain., such as vandalism, removal of newly planted trees, tree pests and disease, lack of planting spaces and limited budget and human resources.
According to Moodley, JCPZ has implemented measures to protect trees and improve biodiversity in the city.
"Implemented measures include weekly and daily conditional assessments of trees by our Operational teams, maintenance schedules of the trees, removal of alien invasion plants, tree census, on-going patrols by the park rangers and more," said Moodley.
He said that success for their department means "bridging the green divide and creating a resilient and sustainable urban forest that enhances the quality of life for residents."
