While the frequency of bark stripping in Newlands Forest has lessened in recent months, the crisis is far from over. Instead, it seems perpetrators of this crime have moved on to more vulnerable sites.
Lauren Clayton, regional communications manager – Cape Region: SANParks, says since January to mid-February this year, only seven trees were encountered during bark-stripping patrols in Newlands Forest.
“Newlands Forest is the most affected area in the Table Mountain National Park (TMNP) and Cape Beech (Boekenhout) is the most targeted species.”
Clayton shares there are bark-stripping operations in place in TMNP.
“On Sunday 13 February during an operation, one suspect was arrested for bark stripping in Newlands Forest (Newlands Ravine area) and a case was opened with Rondebosch Police Station. The case is under investigation,” she says.
According to Clayton, the illegal harvesting of the bark is detrimental to the forest biome. She adds the challenges related to bark stripping are complicated “as the forest area has open access with many entrances.”
Willem Boshoff, co-founder of the Newlands Forest Conservation Group, agrees that illegal bark stripping at Newlands Forest has quietened down over the past few months, warns that if SANParks and the community don’t stay vigilant it will recur.
He explained he and Neil Williamson – both avid hikers – founded the community-based group, which is focused on preserving Newlands Forest and the indigenous forest on the eastern slopes of Table Mountain, more than three years ago. Their focus is on creating awareness and encouraging community involvement.
“Our mission is to create public awareness, track the bark-stripping problem, place pressure on and both assist SANParks in taking action, and inform the public and create forums and opportunities for the public to get involved,” said Boshoff.
He said during the hard lockdown the group saw bark stripping in Newlands Forest on an industrial scale.
“By winter last year, the indigenous forest was at risk of being stripped to collapse. SANParks took action and arrested a bunch of guys, and it got a lot quieter. But now we see that bark strippers are shifting into areas such as Durbanville and the Constantia Greenbelt. As soon as one hole is plugged, they continue with it somewhere else.”
People’s Post first reported on the issue about two years ago (“Stripping local forests”, 1 December 2020). At the time Francois Krige, owner of The Tree Liberation Front – a reforestation and ecological rehabilitation business focused on the area in and around Platbos forest – explained the people doing such damage to the trees were not traditional healers but independent harvesters who sell to traditional healers. He said the pressure on the resource was simply too much and even if it were to stop immediately, it would take the forest 500 years to fully recover.
When People’s Post spoke to Krige again last month, asking if there had been any improvement, he said he had not seen things were getting better or worse.
“The environmental degradation continues,” he said. “Some trees in private properties are targeted at night, with people jumping fences or walls to gain access. In a few isolated cases City officials have painted trees to contaminate the product, but in general the situation is unchecked.”
Krige was also critical of SANParks, saying they were not prioritising this issue.
“The bark stripping and alien vegetation in the Newlands Forest area continue to contribute to the fire fuel load, as the trees die off. It is, in my opinion, a tragedy playing out in this generation. It is our responsibility to do something about it.”
Safeguarding urban trees falls under the mandate of the City of Cape Town’s Park and Recreation Department.
Patricia van der Ross, Mayco member for community services and health, explains when the bark is stripped from the entire circumference of a tree, also referred to as ring-barking, trees die a slow death due to the interruption of their nutritional transport systems.
She explained: “If only partially stripped, it damages the tree to such an extent that it inhibits the growth pattern and weakens the tree, making it more susceptible to stressors such as drought and disease.”
Last month, Van der Ross told People’s Post there had not been any recent bark-stripping incidents in the southern suburbs reported or noticed.
However, she said there had recently been incidents of bark stripping in the Durbanville area.
According to Van der Ross, trees mostly affected are camphor trees (Cinnamomum camphora) and fever trees (Vachellia xanthophloea).
She added the City no longer plants camphor trees since they were on the invasive species list.
“Due to the impact of bark harvesting on the survival of fever trees, they are also no longer planted in certain public spaces. Planting of fever trees is considered only at select sites that have good security measures in place.”
- The City asks members of the public, should they notice any illegal bark harvesting, to take pictures and provide any logistical information. Residents can call 107 from a landline or 021 480 7700 from a cellphone. SANParks also appeals to members of the public to report any bark stripping to 086 110 6417.
