Final Conclusion

Deforestation has become a huge problem that is getting out of hand. People are not caring enough about the actual and crucial effects that it has on species, global warming and the people that rely on the forests. The industry is becoming too lucrative and people are becoming more selfish and blinded each day. People need to stop thinking about themselves and start thinking about the other factors and repercussions that result from this. We as human beings have a responsibility now to plant more trees to try and offset the destruction of so many trees around the world.  Martin Luther King once said:

“If I thought the world were to end tomorrow, I would still plant an apple tree today” 

And this is the exact mindset that more people around the world need to adapt to make this planet healthy again and to kill this plague before its too late. 

Thoughts...

There seems to be two distinctive views, one of which is that some people feel that trees are so beautiful and shouldn't be cut down due to its heritage and the other of agreement with the replacement of the pine trees to fynbos. Both groups seem to understand their opposition’s opinion but it seems that before it was known that the exotic plants were consuming a lot of our precious water, nobody had a problem with them. 

SANpark (The South African National Park) claimed to the media and all the newspapers that all the pine trees are “alien” and this statement is not believed to be true by many scientists and plant experts. By using the word “alien” and “invasive” makes it seem that the trees are negative and should not be in the Cape. It makes readers immediately feel against the trees by associating the trees as something bad. Most of the people that are for the replacement of pine trees to fynbos have based their opinion and constructed their argument on what SANpark has insinuated.  Although the trees are said to be consuming lots of water, it is believed that the reason why they need so much water is because they shield the land and therefore as a result of this shielding, the trees leaves and branches need more water. If there were not any protection from the harmful sun rays then the ground would turn into a desert and consume all the water anyways. This is just an excuse to place more fynbos, which does not need much water to survive, in the area and to maintain water for the Cape. (Cool Forest. 2010)

Although this is a very different situation to that of mass deforestation, the fact of cutting down trees to benefit groups that prefer fynbos seems absurd. Trees are not only beautiful to look at, but they are a part of us as humans. They provide us with oxygen that makes us live and this is how we repay them. Trees should be cared for as if they were an extended organ of our body that is helping us survive. Fynbos is not a tree and it won’t provide as much oxygen that the pine trees give. It seems suicidal to cut down trees and replace them with shrubs. Whilst it is claimed that the pine trees are taking too much of our water, it would serve the government, relevant groups and activists involved in this issue well to provide actual proof on this matter instead of an assumption that is not backed up properly. 

(Buckham. 2012)

(What-to-do-in-cape-town. 2012)

Comments & Opinions

Ian Cormack wrote a letter into The Cape Times on January 28^th 2010 stating that “I can accept the botanical arguments about the Table Mountain bio zone, its uniqueness, the impact upon it of a wide range of alien species that outcompete local species for light, water and other nutrients and that increase fire risks. I can accept that the local species need protection and that culling alien’s species is a sound way of providing this protection. However, I am proposing that it does not automatically follow that every square meter of Table Mountain should be cleared of all aliens. I am proposing that the wishes of the city's residents should be taken into account in preserving areas where these aliens are so long-standing and attractive that they provide amenities and beauty to the city. I am thinking particularly of Rhodes Drive, the lower Tokai forest, the Cecilia forest, the area above Kirstenbosch and Newlands forest including those magnificent pines above the junction of the N2 and M3. These are all in residential areas where residents and visitors take walks or simply gaze in awe at the magnificent trees that populate these areas. To remove them would be an act of undemocratic vandalism no matter what the justification.” (Cool forest. 2010)

Doctor Tony Rebelo wrote into The Cape Times on February the 2^nd 2010 in reply to Ian’s statement stating that “To even suggest that pine plantations should be maintained in so threatened an ecosystem is incomprehensible. Imagine if this was a tropical forest: people would be up in arms at the wanton destruction of biodiversity. Instead, Capetonians complain that if they walk their dogs in Fynbos, then they have to walk in the sun. Shame!” (Cool forest. 2010)

(Cape Times. 2012)

Those against fynbos

The removal of the pine trees came as a shock to many frequent drivers and walkers around Tokai and Cecilia forest. The fact that the public had no knowledge of what was happening and were not informed before it occurred caused an upset among their respected communities. One day the trees were there and the next they were simply destroyed. Although there was in fact a document that was released in 2009, people were not aware that the act was going to be passed and ultimately become a law. The document stated that it was being released for “public comment” but it seemed that even those that were opposed to the act and commented on it, were ignored. As a result of this, came many people against the removal of the trees. 

The trees were planted in the forests in the 1800’s and are seen as having great historical and cultural value to the area. Not only are they massive in size but they are also so strikingly beautiful that it provides great scenery for the people walking through the forest and the people driving past it.   The fynbos that would be planted in its place would leave such a gaping space in both forests and would take away its beauty. After all, fynbos is a shrub and not a tree. Fynbos also has to be burned every decade to rejuvenate which many people living near the forest are nervous about. Even though the fires would be under control, the burning of the plants will still leave surrounding areas and homes with the affects of smoke and air pollution. People get nervous when they see fire, whether it is a controlled fire or a wild fire, they still feel on edge. This makes the plantation of more fynbos unsettling, knowing that it will have to be burned at some stage. Animals that have settled in the fynbos will be forcibly removed and forced to find a new settlement as well as some of the creatures even dying from the burning of the shrubs. It is claimed above, that if one of the pine trees were to catch on fire, it could spell disaster due to it being so close to urban areas, but people believe that the fynbos would have to be forcibly burned anyways so it doesn’t make much difference. (SANA. 2012)

Pictures personally took on Rhodes Drive

Pictures personally took on Rhodes Drive

(Totally Stoned. 2011)

This is a video of a mountain biker riding through tokai forest, it will give you a better  understanding of what the forest looks like today with the pine trees

Why should Fynbos be planted?

There are many reasons why people and groups want fynbos to be planted in place of the exotic trees:

• The fynbos is Proudly South African and should be everywhere instead of the exotic plants. There are around 8000 different species of fynbos such as Proteas, Ericas and Restios, and some people come from all over the world just to see it. 
•  the pine trees are soaking up too much of our valuable water and so should be replaced
• fynbos is becoming extinct due to it not being planted enough and so that is another factor as to why more of it is going to be planted. 
• The reality is that it is only found in the Cape which gives our province an opportunity for more tourism.  
• Some of the fynbos species are really beautiful and can make the areas from which it is grown look stunning and so that is also why people are insisting that it replace the alien plantation. 
• Another reason why the removal of the alien plants is necessary is because it is claimed that if one of the pine trees were to catch on fire, it could result in many of the surrounding trees easily catching on fire too. This would be very difficult to put out and due to them being placed so close to urban areas, it could spread easily and endanger human beings. 
• The more pine trees that are cut down, the more timber and wood we can receive, so some believe that it’s a benefit to us as consumers as well who buy products made out of the trees.  (WWF n.d) (Cool Forest n.d) (Glen Craig n.d) (Go 2 Africa. 2010)

Fynbos Flowers: (The Fynbos Hub. 2011)

The WWF

WWF South Africa supports the eradication of the trees in Cecilia and Tokai forest due to the belief that the trees are soaking up precious water that we need in the Cape. Thérèse Brinkcate, the Ecoregions Programme Manager, says in regard to the destruction of the trees that “although they might be green and leafy, the pine trees and other exotic trees like eucalyptus are not part of South Africa's natural wealth.  Rather, they are responsible for the demise of numerous plant and animal species which are indigenous to South Africa.  WWF works to support the health and integrity of our natural systems - this means that exotic and invasive plant vegetation must be cleared.  Not only do these plantations (they are not forests) cause the demise of numerous species, they also soak up precious freshwater and pose a heightened fire risk for the people on the Cape Peninsula." Although she claims that they are not clearing forests, the amount of trees that she is cutting down is on par with the amount of trees seen in a normal forest. It seems that there are many trees that are to be cut down due to them being “invasive” and so even though it may not be one large patch of forest that is being destroyed, all the individual trees put together could be the size of a forest. (Cool forest n.d)

(WWF. 2012)

Local Deforestation

In South Africa, on the 3^rd of April 2009, The Minister of Environmental Affairs and Tourism, Mr Marthinus Van Schalkwyk published a document that was to be released for 30 days for public comment. The document was titled “The 2nd draft of the Alien and Invasive Species Regulations of the National Environmental Management: Biodiversity Act, 2004 (Act No.10 of 2004)”. It stated that plants would be placed in sections named “species exempted (section 66), prohibited alien species (section 67) and invasive species (section 70).” When looking at “invasive species (section 70)” all the plant species that were considered to be this, were placed under 3 categories:

“Category 1a: Invasive species requiring compulsory control. Remove and destroy. Any specimens of Category 1a listed species need, by law, to be eradicated from the environment. No permits will be issued.”

“Category 1b: Invasive species requiring compulsory control as part of an invasive species control programme. Remove and destroy. These plants are deemed to have such a high invasive potential that infestations can qualify to be placed under a government sponsored invasive species management programme. No permits will be issued.”

“Category 2: Invasive species regulated by area. A demarcation permit is required to import, possess, grow, breed, move, sell, buy or accept as a gift any plants listed as Category 2 plants. No permits will be issued for Cat 2 plants to exist in riparian zones.”

“Category 3: Invasive species regulated by activity. An individual plant permit is required to undertake any of the following restricted activities (import, possess, grow, breed, move, sell, buy or accept as a gift) involving a Category 3 species. No permits will be issued for Cat 3 plants to exist in riparian zones.”

(SANA. 2012)

There are currently 200 plants and trees that are in this section of “invasive species” and 100 of those are placed under category 1.  These plants and trees are constantly being demolished all over the Cape, but the biggest debate going, with regard to this act, is the one that takes place in Cecilia and Tokai forest. 

In Cape Town, if you were to take a long drive on Rhodes Drive and you will see the beauty that is the large pine trees surrounding the road. That is until you come across a very noticeable and enormous patch of empty land with no trees. These trees in Cecilia forest have all been cut down to make space for the plantation of fynbos. Not only in Cecilia forest are there visible patches of destroyed trees, but also in Tokai forest where there has been a drastic and large amount of deforestation occurring. (SANA. 2012)