The felling of three mature gum trees on Manor Road, Hout Bay, has sparked public outrage. Local advocacy group TreeKeepers Cape called the act “unjustified” and “deeply damaging” to Cape Town’s cultural and environmental heritage.
Clare Burgess, the group’s chair, said the City of Cape Town’s Recreation & Parks Department had promised to pause all tree removals. Yet, cutting continued for more than a month, she claimed without proper public consultation or an ecological assessment.
“These trees were not just part of the landscape. They were part of our history,” Burgess said. “They lined the avenue to the historic Hout Bay Manor, now a hotel, and carried both cultural and environmental value. Removing them shows a failure to respect the role of urban trees in our communities.”
TreeKeepers insists the trees were healthy and safe. “They were not dangerous or rotten,” Burgess said, responding to claims from the Baviaanskloof Ratepayers’ Association. “Any dead branches could’ve been pruned. Cutting down entire trees wastes public money and breaks public trust.”
TreeKeepers is a citizen-led non-profit that works to protect Cape Town’s urban forest. The group has a formal agreement with the City. It maps significant trees, promotes qualified arborists, and encourages responsible tree management.
Environmental consultant Hugh Tyrrell supports their mission. He said Cape Town is seeing a growing trend of removing established trees under the guise of ecological management.
“There’s a false belief that non-indigenous trees like gums have no value,” he said. “But they support biodiversity, offer shade, and absorb carbon. Removing them ignores their contribution to urban life.”
While some gum species are classified as invasive, TreeKeepers said these specific trees were not. Their investigation found no seedlings or saplings in the area no sign of spread. “They were just standing tall,” said Burgess, “cooling our streets and adding beauty.”
Tyrrell noted that Cape Town isn’t a natural tree biome, but generations of people planted trees here to improve urban life. He and the group called for a balanced approach that values both indigenous plants and the legacy of urban trees.
Burgess said the City failed to consult the public before removing the trees. “That’s the most troubling part,” she said. “People deserve a say in decisions about our shared environment especially when public funds are involved.”
The trees have since been turned into park benches and play equipment. TreeKeepers acknowledged this as a more sustainable use of the timber.
The group urged residents, environmentalists, and officials to rethink how Cape Town manages its urban forest.
“We want a city where trees are valued,for the climate, for our communities, and for our well-being,” said Burgess. “We invite the City to follow its own policies and protect what remains.”
People’s Post contacted the City for comment, but by the time of publication, no response had been received.
