Beetle infested trees removed from public owned land while City kick-starts voluntary tree replacement programme
07 March 2023
Tomorrow, 8 March
2023, the City of Cape Town will commence with the removal of Polyphagous Shot
Hole Borer beetle (PSHB) infested trees from City-owned land. Unfortunately,
infested trees have to be chipped as this is the only scientifically proven
method to prevent the spread of the pest to other areas. At the same time, the
City is calling on residents to participate in a voluntary tree replacement
initiative that will be launched on Friday, 10 March 2023.
The first trees to be removed are infested Boxelders along the Liesbeek River corridor, near the N2 highway and Liesbeek Park Way. Access to these areas will be restricted while the work is under way with chainsaws and wood chipping machines. Once chipped, the beetle infested biomass will be transported to an appropriate site for incineration.
'It is a sad turn of events for all of us. As much as we value our trees – many of them are decades older than us – we do not have any alternative but to chip the infested trees. We are doing so in an effort to stop the beetle in its tracks and to save other trees from a similar fate. First off, we will prioritise the removal of Boxelders from City-owned land along major transport routes, as these pose the biggest threat of spreading the PSHB to other parts of Cape Town,' said the City's Deputy Mayor and Mayoral Committee Member for Spatial Planning and Environment, Alderman Eddie Andrews.
Latest update about the beetle pest:
- By 6 March 2023 the City recorded 191 infested trees, 104 on City-owned land and 87 on private properties in the southern suburbs
- Most infested and affected trees in the Southern suburbs are Boxelder, London Plane, English Oak and Grey Poplar
- Areas affected are Newlands, Kenilworth, Mowbray, Rondebosch, Observatory and Wynberg
'We will not remove all of the infested trees at once, but will prioritise the heavily infested reproductive host trees, and trees that are dying and present a safety risk to people and properties. Based on our experience from infestations in the Somerset West area, Boxelder trees are on top of the list of trees that must be removed. It is difficult to say how long this process will take, safe to say that we will keep on carrying on for as long as needed,' said Alderman Andrews.
On Friday, 10 March 2023, Alderman Andrews will participate in a tree planting initiative to kick-start a city-wide tree replacement programme. This programme will be voluntary for residents who want to participate while we are working on finalising our formal tree replacement programme. The City will issue a list of recommended trees and suitable areas to the public on the day. These are indigenous trees that are not known to be hosts for the PSHB so that residents can contribute in saving Cape Town's urban forest.
The City will also plant trees over the coming months, and will make more information available about this programme at a later stage.
'The pest poses a serious threat, but there are many things we can do to limit the impact on our local environment. For example, with winter around the corner, I plead with residents to be careful when sourcing wood for fireplaces and to buy the wood where you are going to use it. The same applies for when you are planning a braai. Inspect trees on your property for symptoms of infestation and report sightings to the City. Please use gardeners and local businesses that are familiar with PSHB protocols, and don't fall for fake remedies. There is no known cure as yet. And most importantly, plant indigenous trees that can replace those we will lose in the coming months. I will make this list public on Friday,' said Alderman Andrews.
Do's and don'ts:
- Do not move any plant or tree material from areas with confirmed cases of PSHB, such as Somerset West, Newlands, Kenilworth, Mowbray, Rondebosch, Observatory and Wynberg
- When handling plant material, inspect the tree for PSHB symptoms
- Clean gardening and other tools before and after use and disinfect vehicles used to transport green waste
- Transport green waste in closed and sealed bags, or cover the back with a sail cover
- Avoid routes passing through areas with PSHB infested trees
- Buy firewood where you are going to use it
What to look out for and symptoms of infested trees:
- Branch dieback – cracks on the branch; discoloured leaves; dry and leafless branches; branch break-off revealing webs of galleries filled with black fungus
- Gumming – blobs of goo coming out of the bark; oozing of liquid and gum from the beetle holes
- Entry and exit holes – very small holes on the bark of the tree, the size of a sesame seed (2mm); shotgun-like scars developing around the holes
- Staining – brown or dark stains on the bark of the tree
Important: infested trees must be chipped on site and may not be removed from the property as the removal of the chipped wood will spread the pest to other areas.
How to report PSHB beetle sightings
What to do with infested trees:
- Chip the tree, place the infested material in refuse bags, seal it and put these in direct sunlight for at least six weeks
- Dump the chips in your compost heap as the heat build-up will kill the beetle
- Burn infected wood at appropriate incineration facilities
- Seek assistance from trained and equipped service providers with sound knowledge of PSHB
- Do not move plant/tree material/firewood outside of areas where PSHB has been confirmed to be present to other areas
- Do not transport any form of green waste in open vehicles, cover it with sail covers even if no PSHB has been identified as such green waste.
- Clean tools and equipment used to trim/cut/prune plants
The City will try its best to respond within 10 working days to verify a reported sighting. However, the response time will depend on the number of sightings reported.
End
Published by:
City of Cape Town, Media Office
