Arbour Day event takes root at Bridgevale Park
The park and reserve, situated across the road from the Japanese Gardens, has seen a massive change since Enviro Fixers maintained and managed the space.
BRIDGEVALE Park and Nature Reserve was a hive of activity over the weekend as residents and members of Enviro Fixers Durban North planted trees as part of Arbour Day celebrations.
The park and reserve, situated across the road from the Japanese Gardens, has seen a massive change since Enviro Fixers maintained and managed the space.
More than 100 indigenous trees were planted on the day by volunteers and environmental warriors.
Jane Troughton, a member of the Durban North Conservancy and Enviro Fixers, said she was thrilled with the turnout from the community.
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“Traditionally, Arbour Day is the first Saturday of September, but since then, we have also seen the introduction of national Arbour Week and Arbour Month. As a community-based organisation, we wanted to continue our mission of planting indigenous trees as sustainable environmental management. We were thrilled with how the community responded as well as learners from Ocean View Montessori School, who were fantastic,” she explained.
Troughton added that volunteers also planted a number of indigenous trees to line the entrance to the reserve which included the Calpurnia aurea (Wild Laburnum), Burchelia bubalina (Wild Pomgranate) and Buddleja salviifolia (Sagewood) to name a few.
Fellow Enviro Fixers member Rayne Dancaster reflected on the rehabilitation and transformation of the green space.
“When we initially walked through Bridgevale Park several years ago, it was full of alien invasive species, there was illegal dumping going on and the space had very few indigenous species. Through collaborative work with the community, the municipality and Enviro Fixers, this space has transformed into an oasis. It is a magnet for birds, butterflies and nature, and it has been thrilling to watch how we’ve come together to make this nature reserve what it is today.
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“There aren’t many green spaces left in Durban North, and we hope by spreading the message of planting indigenous that this park and reserve will be a footprint for a larger corridor of nature. We are a water-scarce country, and planting indigenous trees means they do not consume a lot of water,” she said.
