TREES WE REMEMBER
I recently attended the inaugural South African Tree Symposium at Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden. Being surrounded by people who share a deep appreciation for trees reminded me of something I have always known: I love trees.
Although my current work as a horticulturist often centres around groundcovers, shrubs, indigenous plants and nursery production, my love for trees has never disappeared.
Years ago, while working at Kirstenbosch, a colleague asked whether I was a “downer” or an “upper”. The question was whether I looked down at the groundcover and shrubs or up at the trees. My answer was immediate. I look up.
Trees demand that we pause. They stand for decades or centuries, enduring drought, storms, fire, pruning, pollution and development, yet they continue to grow.
The Tree I Remember
A tree can be more than a tree.
A large Umdoni tree (Syzygium cordatum) grew near the roadside in my community. It was more than a tree. It was a bus stop.
It provided shade, shelter from rain, fruit while we waited for our parents, and my grandmother used it to treat diarrhoea.
At the time, I did not think about ecosystem services. Looking back now, I realise that this one tree was providing many of the services we now describe scientifically. It was part of the social and ecological fabric of the community.
This is why conversations about trees should go beyond asking what species they are. We should also ask what they mean to people.
The Role of Trees
Trees are essential to terrestrial ecosystems. Their value extends far beyond aesthetics.
Healthy Soils
Roots hold soil together, reduce erosion and support soil organisms. Leaf litter adds organic matter.
Water Cycle
Trees influence infiltration, transpiration and runoff while helping regulate the movement of water.
Wildlife Habitat
Flowers, fruits, seeds, leaves, bark and branches provide food and shelter for many organisms.
Climate
Trees absorb and store carbon and contribute to nature-based approaches to climate change mitigation.
Biodiversity
Trees create different habitats and niches for insects, birds, mammals, reptiles and other organisms.
People & Communities
Trees provide shade, restorative spaces, cultural meaning, medicinal value and connections to place.
Through photosynthesis, trees absorb carbon dioxide, release oxygen, and capture carbon in biomass and soils. Their leaves and branches filter pollutants, while vegetation shapes local air movement and microclimates.
Trees influence the water cycle. They draw water from the soil and release it into the atmosphere through transpiration, improving infiltration and reducing runoff.
A mature indigenous tree can function as a small ecosystem. A landscape containing trees of different ages, heights and species offers a greater variety of niches for wildlife.
Their value is also social. Trees are community assets. They offer restorative spaces where people can walk, rest and exercise. Many indigenous trees also carry medicinal significance.
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| Sideroxylon inerme — a protected indigenous tree. |
Protected Trees in South Africa
Protection under the National Forests Act
Some South African tree species are legally protected under the National Forests Act, 1998 (Act 84 of 1998).
They cannot be cut, damaged, destroyed, removed, transported or sold without authorisation.
A protected tree can stand inside a nature reserve, a garden, along a road or on private property. Its legal status follows the species, not the setting.
Individual trees or groups of trees can also be recognised as Champion Trees because of their exceptional size, age, historical importance or cultural significance.
Examples of protected tree species include:
- Baobab (Adansonia digitata)
- Pod mahogany (Afzelia quanzensis)
- Shepherd’s tree (Boscia albitrunca)
- Leadwood (Combretum imberbe)
- Stinkwood (Ocotea bullata)
- Silver tree (Leucadendron argenteum)
- Real yellowwood (Podocarpus latifolius)
- Clanwilliam cedar (Widdringtonia cedarbergensis)
- Umtiza (Umtiza zeyheri)
- Red ivory (Berchemia zeyheri)
- Marula (Sclerocarya birrea)
- Mopane (Colophospermum mopane)
The list evolves. In 2022, Red/Pink Ivory, Jackalberry, Manketti and Umtiza were added, bringing the total to 51 protected species.
These trees represent diverse landscapes and conservation stories. Stinkwood and yellowwoods are linked to indigenous forests. The silver tree is part of the Western Cape's botanical heritage. The Clanwilliam cedar is critically endangered after extensive harvesting.
The white milkwood is both a coastal tree and a living link to South Africa's history.
Protection Is About More Than Legislation
The law says, “Do not cut this tree.”
Conservation asks, “Why should we care about this tree?”
That is where horticulture, conservation and communities meet.
A protected tree is not simply a plant with a legal restriction attached to it. It is a living organism that provides habitat, food, shade, carbon storage, cultural meaning and historical memory.
Stop. Look Up.
The next time you walk past a tree, pause and ask:
- What species is it?
- How old might it be?
- What lives in it?
- What has it witnessed?
- What does it give to the people around it?
Perhaps their greatest gift is this: they remind us that life continues to grow.
