No love for blue gum trees in Bryanston

Some residents want the trees removed while others see nothing wrong with their presence.

Concerned resident, Richard Turner, said there were a number of dead or dying blue gums in the open area between The River Road and Brook Avenue in Bryanston.

“Two enormous branches have fallen to the ground,” explained Turner.

“If they’d fallen on a walker, jogger or cyclist then that person would have been killed. Branches of various sizes from the tree are continually falling.”

Another concerned Bryanston resident, Ken Royd, said a big blue gum outside his home needed to be removed. “It is high and affects other trees,” he said.

“It can be dangerous.”

Royd added that his borehole dried up and he suspects it was because of the tree. He said this could not be good considering how most parts of the country were going through a drought at the moment.

“The amount of water they consume is a lot,” he added.

“They drop seed pods and spread rapidly. They must be identified as invasive species and must be cut down.”

Heather Oosthuizen, a community member who has a great sentimental attachment to the blue gum trees, believes they are just those kind of trees that are fashionable to hate.

“Blue gum trees are thirsty trees and they do use a lot of water,” she said.

“But these trees have been part of our landscape for more than a 100 years and they have become a valuable part of our ecosystem.”

She added that blue gum trees were also a favourite food source for bees. “Anything good for bees is good for us, the bees alone give the blue gum trees a good reason to remain here,” she said.

Oosthuizen said blue gum trees were dying at a rapid rate from disease. “In a few years to come, our beautiful blue gum trees will sadly, probably, be a thing of the past,” she added.