Arbor Day originated in the US in 1872 and was first celebrated in South Africa in 1983.
Arbor Week came into being in 1999, extending the event to highlight the value of trees to society and in the natural environment.
Arbor Day originated in the US in 1872 and was first celebrated in South Africa in 1983.
Arbor Week came into being in 1999, extending the event to highlight the value of trees to society and in the natural environment.
The Albany Branch of the Botanical Society, biocultural diversity conservation programme Inkcubeko Nendalo, the Mobile Science Lab and the Department of Botany at Rhodes University celebrated Arbor Week recently with three events that brought together different faces of the Grahamstown community.
On Thursday 6 September, a group of tree-loving botanists met at Mary Waters School, not only to plant two important trees – a wild olive and a veld fig – but also to share heart-warming tree experiences.
A group of 20 Grade 10 pupils gathered to help plant the trees and to speak about the role of trees in their cultures and their daily lives.
The pupils showed great love and understanding for the role of trees in the environment. They shared a wide range of experiences, from watching elders use tree parts during important cultural ceremonies to grandparents planting trees that are now bearing fruit.
The pupils from Mary Waters said trees were needed for shade, to play under and around, to provide fruit and homes for animals and to decrease the levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.
These ideas were enhanced by those of the postgraduate students from the Department of Botany, who spoke about their passion for trees and Botany and with a bit of luck inspired a few more botanists for the future.
This event was followed by a second tree-planting the next day, when the second-year Botany class gathered to take part in a 20-year-old tradition of planting a tree in the beautiful garden of the Department of Botany.
This year an assegai (Curtisia dentata) was planted. This species is well known for its strong and durable wood, but also for its medicinal properties. The bark is used to treat stomach ailments, but due to the scarcity of the trees in present times, it is seldom used.
The celebration of trees culminated in the launch of the book, “Voices from the Forest – Celebrating Nature and Culture in Xhosaland” by Tony Dold and Michelle Cocks.
Dold and Cocks shared their experiences over the past 10 years while compiling this captivating account of Xhosa culture and spirituality and the undeniable bond it shares with nature. They gave a brief chapter synopsis to explain the rationale behind their book. A highlight of the evening was when Dold broke into traditional Xhosa songs.
