Cape Town - Bark strippers who were prevalent in the southern suburbs are now active in the northern suburbs.
Bark stripping is the illegal harvesting of tree bark for various uses. Camphor trees, Fever trees and Norfolk pine trees are among the most targeted trees.
After the recent arrest of a suspect, the Boston Central Improvement District (CID) renewed its efforts to rally residents to support its efforts to bring the act to an end.
CID manager Jean Beukman said: “Things had been quiet in our areas for some time. However, about three months ago, we started to notice an alarming increase in trees being stripped of their bark. Most of the camphor and fever trees were losing more and more of their bark to people who would strip them to fill bags that they then sell for R300.
“We can’t have communities that are barren of the trees, so we began raising awareness to get residents to report incidents as they see them occur because this must be stopped before we lose any more trees. The stripping of trees is illegal, and the suspects often travel long distances to come and do this here. We want our area to retain its natural environment, but it’s not our fight alone.”
The bark is used to create traditional medicines in many parts of Africa and the world. It is widely used in South Africa by traditional healers in medicines and muti, conservationists at the Newlands Forest Conservation said.
The function of tree bark is to protect the internal energy transport systems of the tree. These internal systems are responsible for the movement of nutrients and water between the leaves and roots. Once the bark is stripped off, the trunk begins to dry out and rot. The tree can no longer feed itself properly and will begin to die, they said.
Earlier this year, the City’s community services and health directorate initiated a project to protect trees in Durbanville after receiving numerous complaints of bark stripping.
The City said the extent and destruction of trees in the Durbanville CBD had increased exponentially, which prompted its Recreation and Parks Department to embark on a project to paint the trunks of trees at risk of being bark-stripped with a PVA paint mixture.
Durbanville councillor Theresa Uys said: “Months after the project, the incidents of bark stripping have reportedly decreased, with community members becoming more involved in awareness initiatives to protect their natural environment.”
Mayco member for community services and health, Patricia van der Ross, said: “The painting of the tree with PVA paint mixture is a preventative measure that does not pose any risk to the tree and renders the bark unattractive for harvesting.
“Law enforcement, community organisations such as neighbourhood watch groups, and security companies that patrol areas also help to combat the illegal harvesting of bark.”
Members of the public who want to report sightings of bark stripped trees or bark stripping in process, can submit pictures and provide logistical information to the City’s Law Enforcement Department by calling 107 from a landline, or 021 480 7700 from a cellphone, or send an email to [email protected].