South Africa celebrates Arbor Week (Iviki Lezihlahla) from September 1 -7. Arbor Week calls for all South Africans to plant an indigenous tree as a practical and symbolic gesture of sustainable environmental management.
This year’s celebrated indigenous tree is the Wild Plum.
The Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries advises residents to green South Africa by planting trees.
Residents are also encouraged to find out more about the different types of indigenous trees that we have in South Africa.
Trees help us breathe and provide a home for quite a few diverse kinds of animals and insects. They are the largest and longest living organisms on earth.
Trees are able to take water and salts out of the earth and lift them up to the leaves, sometimes over 400 ft above. By means of photosynthesis the leaves combine the water and salts with carbon dioxide from the air to produce the nutrients which feed the tree. In this process, as well as wood, trees create many chemicals, seeds and fruit of great utility to man. Also, trees provide refreshing shade.
They are many more benefits of trees, so go ahead and plant a tree this Arbor Week.
