The Plant an Oak project, an initiative led by the Stellenbosch Municipality in collaboration with Stellenbosch Trail Fund (STF), was recently completed with a total of 38 new trees planted throughout central Stellenbosch.
The project was established earlier this year through partnerships with private organisations and residents who donated trees to replace older trees in the town, according to Stuart Grobbelaar, communications manager for the Stellenbosch Municipality.
This project formed part of a broader programme of tree maintenance and the removal of trees affected by the polyphagous shot hole borer (PSHB), he said.
During this initiative, trees were planted in Plein, Church, Dorp, Andringa, Ryneveld and Drostdy streets, according to Francé Beyers, the project manager at STF.
During the Plant an Oak project organised by the Stellenbosch Municipality and Stellenbosch Trail Fund (STF), a total of 38 trees were planted in Plein, Church, Dorp, Andringa, Ryneveld and Drostdy streets during the past few months. PHOTO: Nerine Pienaar
“The town’s iconic tree-lined streets and mature oak trees are part of what makes Stellenbosch such a distinctive and beautiful place,” said Grobbelaar. “Protecting this heritage while ensuring that it continues for future generations remains an important priority for the municipality.”
With advice from botanical experts, Turkish, Algerian, Water, and Pine oak trees were selected because they are more resistant to the effects of the borer beetle than the English oak, said Beyers.
The trees will be given biofuel boosts and will be watered regularly for three years to help ensure their best chance of establishing and surviving, she said.
The 38 oak trees planted as part of the Plant an Oak project organised by the Stellenbosch Municipality and Stellenbosch Trail Fund (STF) will be given biofuel boosts and watered twice a week for three years to ensure the best chance of survival. PHOTO: Nerine Pienaar
“This [project] is extremely important to preserve our urban canopy which plays a major role in the reduction of heat island effect and warming due to climate change,” said Kalika Redelinghuys, the managing director at Trees South Africa, one of the nurseries the trees were sourced from. “It is a fantastic initiative, and we are very grateful to be a part of it.”
Each newly-planted oak will receive a labelled name tag acknowledging its donor. Beyers has thanked everyone involved and said that their contributions played an important role in making the project possible.
Each of the newly planted oak trees will receive a labelled name tag acknowledging its donor, according to Stellenbosch Trail Fund’s (STF) latest newsletter written by Francé Beyers, the project manager at STF. PHOTO: Nerine Pienaar
“The biggest challenge is to get the best/suitable planting material,” she said.
They are now already working with nurseries to secure the right size and types of trees for the next planting season in May 2027, said Beyers.
“Next year we will continue,” she said. “Hopefully, with the support of donors [we will] take the rest of Dorp Street, Bird Street and further.”
For more information on tree donations, those interested can visit the STF website.