Trees in Mitchell Park are inspected, says City
The Parks Department is continuously inspecting trees within Mitchell Park to remove dead or diseased wood and to maintain an acceptable and safe condition.
A RESIDENT living near Mitchell Park is concerned about the lack of maintenance to the trees inside the park.
Cheryl Johnson said following recent heavy rains, a large branch crashed down in Madeira Road, and at 3am on 25 February, another could be heard crashing down inside Mitchell Park. The tree branches were cut up and removed from the park by Parks staff the following day.
“I’ve written to the Trustees of Mitchell Park as they should be ensuring that the park trees are regularly trimmed and that these huge old trees are safe. What if a branch crashes down on a kiddie’s party?” she said, adding that she had also mentioned the state of the park (garbage) following parties at the weekend.
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Responding to a request for comment regarding how often the trees are maintained, eThekwini Municipality’s spokesperson Msawakhe Mayisela, said trees in Mitchell Park and along streets within eThekwini Municipality provide numerous benefits to the urban environment, which increase with size and age. However, older and larger trees historically are more likely to drop branches in poor weather or cause root conflicts on sites they inhabit. This is part of the natural aging process of trees pruning itself.
“In managing these trees, residents need to recognise the benefits and risks as the majority of trees within Durban are over 50 years old. The Parks Department is continuously inspecting trees within Mitchell Park to remove dead or diseased wood and to maintain an acceptable and safe condition,” he said, adding that he thanked the resident for her interest in her city.
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