Cape Town - In dealing with the outbreak of the tree-killing invasive Polyphagous Shot Hole Borer (PSHB) beetle, the City has issued a list of 28 recommended replacement trees for residents.
Infested trees must be removed to stop the spread of the pest to other trees and areas.
The City said planting an indigenous tree or non-invasive exotic tree, suitable to Cape Town’s climate and the specific site, would assist in mitigating the impact of the beetle on Cape Town’s urban forest.
The trees are Coastal silver oak, Wild pomegranate, Num-num, Bastard saffron, Cape saffron, Atlas cedar, Pock ironwood, Red alder, Mediterranean cypress, Assegai, Pom pom, Sand olive, Guarri, Wild gardenia, Maidenhair tree, Sausage tree, Bush box, Stinkwood, Elephant bush, Candlewood, Willow, White karee, Serricea searsia, Milkwood, Turpentine tree, Water pear, Camphor bush and Fever tree.
Stellenbosch University conservation ecology and entomology professor, Francois Roets, previously warned that the impact of the PSHB infestation on Cape Town’s urban and peri-urban environments would be severe, with a large percentage of preferred hosts, such as Boxelder and English oak trees, either dying or having to be removed.
Last month, the City began removing infested trees from public land along the Liesbeek River corridor, near the N2 and Liesbeek Parkway. So far, 40 trees have been removed and the biomass transported to an appropriate site for incineration.
Deputy mayor and spatial planning and environment Mayco member, Eddie Andrews said: “If we plant trees to replace those we lose in the coming months and years, we can limit the impact of this devastating pest on Cape Town’s urban forest.
“We will update the list of recommended trees continually as we learn more about the PSHB and the trees it targets. I encourage residents to go online and use the list. It includes the trees’ scientific and common names.”
He said residents would also find the Tree Best Practice Guideline to determine which trees were best suited to their properties.
Since January, sightings of the borer beetle infestation have been found in the Helderberg area, and most recently in Newlands, Rondebosch, Mowbray, Claremont, Kenilworth and in Observatory along the Liesbeek River.
Before January, PSHB was limited to the Somerset West area.
The City’s Tree Best Practice guideline provides more information about trees suitable to Cape Town’s climate, and is available on the City’s website at: https://resource.capetown.gov.za/documentcentre/Documents/Procedures%2c%20guidelines%20and%20regulations/Green_Infrastructure_Programme_%20Trees.pdf.
kristin.engel@inl.co.za