The public can have their say on the draft Urban Forest Policy, which will replace the current Tree Management Policy of the City of Cape Town until the end of the month.
This after council took the decision to review the existing policy, which has been in place since 2015. Draft amendments seek to take into account the changing social, legislative and environmental context of the city, and can be adopted on public and private land across the metropole.
“With ever-increasing urbanisation it is important to find a balance between sustainable development, protection of the environment and creating quality living and working environments,” explained Patricia van der Ross, Mayoral Committee member for Community Services and Health. “We recognised the existing policy doesn’t adequately cover all these considerations. This is why we are now calling on the public to give their inputs on the proposed amendments, which we believe offer a more holistic approach to tree management, but also our efforts to have Cape Town classified as an urban forest.”
She said the project includes the country’s first-ever tree mapping project, as the city makes its way towards the 10% tree canopy cover required to qualify as an urban forest. “That is why it is important to ensure policies are in place that will promote this mission,” Van der Ross pointed out. “We have also seen increasing risks to the survival of our tree population in recent years, including bark stripping and the discovery of shothole borer infestations in some parts of the city.”
The current Tree Management Policy was applied and predominantly used within the operational environment of the Recreation and Parks Department. The draft policy aims to develop a transversal policy that applies to the management of all trees in the city, including municipal, state and privately owned land, and can be used by all City departments. It also gives guidance to the public and owners of state land.
The amended policy aims to widen its scope by addressing the roles and responsibilities of private landowners, providing guidance in relation to tree management, as well as providing decision-making criteria to ensure uniformity in approach by all City departments.
It further promotes efficient watering methods and alternative solutions to watering with drinking water, such as groundwater, rainwater, reclaimed effluent or other non-drinkable water, to ensure trees are watered and maintained to reach maturity.
The police aims to: . ensure the retention, enhancement and management of the city’s urban forest;. ensure the city’s trees contribute positively to the quality of the local environment;. ensure trees do not pose a risk to the health and safety of people, or of damage to property; . ensure trees are protected from unnecessary harm; and . provide for a uniform approach to the management of trees.
It also takes into account the management requirements related to the full life cycle of a tree, the conditions for tree removals, trees growing within the urban environment and the appropriateness of the selection of species, planting locations and local contexts.
The draft policy document is available can be found online at https://resource.capetown.gov.za/documentcentre/Documents/Bylaws%20and%20policies/Draft_Urban_Forest_Policy.pdf. The public participation process for comments, input and recommendations runs from Friday 1 to Saturday 30 April.
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Submit your input via email to arborist@capetown.gov.za, online at www.capetown.gov.za/haveyoursay, or at a subcouncil office.
