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)