PNRA concerned about the threat fallen trees may cause
PARKTOWN NORTH – Louverdis said that she fears that one of the branches will fall and injure or kill a person.
The Parktown North Residents Association (PNRA) is concerned that City Parks is not attending to branch dieback quickly enough which could pose a threat to cars, properties and people.
Chair of the PNRA Lee-Ann Louverdis explained that every three weeks, the association conducts an audit of all trees in the area, noting the trees that are dead or dying as a result of polyphagous shot-hole borer (PSHB).
“We send a monthly list to City Parks to inform them regarding the trees, but they are under-resourced to manage the problem,” said Louverdis.
“Our priority is dealing with trimming and branch dieback since these trees pose a great risk at this time of the year when storms take place. Branches fall on cars, walls and fences, causing a great deal of damage, which can be prevented.”
Louverdis said that she fears that one of the branches will fall and injure or kill a person.
Though she is grateful for the work that City Parks does to remove dead trees, Louverdis said the entity does not have the capacity to deal with all the dead branches timeously and this could pose a risk.
Spokesperson for Johannesburg City Parks and Zoo Jenny Moodley said, “Suburbs in Region B boast a rich, dense tree canopy. This requires a substantial budget with supporting resources to ensure that more regular maintenance is undertaken. Residents are urged to be mindful that there are pressing developmental backlogs in the city that must take precedence.”
Louverdis said, “If City Parks are unable to deal with this, we should be able to engage with them to procure the services of a qualified arborist to deal with the dieback and trimming. A partnership with City Parks and a list of qualified arborists could work to resolve the problems quickly, preventing damage.”
In response Moodley said, “The City is currently working through its in-house teams to tackle the removal, solarisation and proper disposal of dead infested trees.”
Louverdis also drew attention to the lack of solarisation sites for public use, posing a problem for areas like Parktown North which are at the epicentre of the PSHB problem.
Moodley said that there are three solarisation sites in operation, which are currently depot-based for ease of access and to contain the spread of the borer beetle. Moodley added that an additional site has been approved and is in the process of being retrofitted.
Louverdis concluded, “I would like to arrange a meeting with the MMC and find out the plan from City Parks because right now they are working on crisis management.”
Related articles:
https://www.citizen.co.za/rosebank-killarney-gazette/261804/residents-eager-to-learn-more-about-the-borer/
https://www.citizen.co.za/rosebank-killarney-gazette/245646/pnra-creates-safe-pathway-for-pedestrians/
