NEWS RELEASE                                                                                         3 September 2002

BARK UP THE RIGHT TREE AND DO YOUR BIT THIS ARBOR WEEK

Councillor Brian Watkyns, City of Cape Town Executive Councillor for Planning and Environment, has come up with the following interesting facts about trees tom coincide with Arbor Week and the Earth Summit.

v the net cooling effect of a young, healthy tree is equivalent to ten room-size air conditioners operating 20 hours a day.

v trees can boost the market value of your home by an average of six or seven per cent.

v landscaping, especially with trees, can increase property values by as much as 20 per cent.

v one acre of forest absorbs six tons of carbon dioxide and puts out four tons of oxygen. This is enough to meet the annual needs of 18 people.

v trees properly placed around buildings can reduce air conditioning needs by 30 per cent and can save 20 - 50 per cent in energy used for heating.

v trees can be a stimulus to economic development by attracting new business and tourism. Retail areas are more attractive to shoppers, apartments rent more quickly, tenants stay longer, and space in a wooded setting is more valuable to sell or rent.

v the planting of trees means improved water quality, resulting in less runoff and erosion. This allows more recharging of the ground water supply.

Wooded areas help prevent the transport of sediment and chemicals into streams.

Councillor Watkyns said, “Celebrate Arbor Week in a personal way by planting a tree yourself. It is an act of optimism and kindness and a commitment to the environment. Anyone can do it, by starting a tree seed in a cup, or a seedling in a pot. If you have no place to set it out later, give it to someone who does, and then watch it grow together.”

“We need to get the message across that our natural environment is a source of our livelihood,” said Councillor Watkyns. “Children especially need to be aware of this because the future of our environment is in their hands.”

In South Africa, Arbor Day (Tree Day) was first celebrated in 1983. The event captured the imagination of people who recognised the need for raising awareness of the value of trees in our environment. Collective enthusiasm for the importance of this issue in South Africa inspired the national government, in 1999, to extend the celebration of Arbor Day to National Arbor Week.

Every year, schools, businesses, organisations and the public are encouraged to participate in community "greening" events to improve the state and beauty of the environment and work towards a green future for South Africa.

“As sources of material, food, medicine, and simple scenic beauty, trees play a vital role in the health and well-being of our communities,” said Councillor Watkyns.

Bibliography www.arborday.org

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