Cape Town - Beloved local treasure Arderne Gardens in Claremont recently experienced an unfortunate incident when one of its iconic Champion Trees fell.
The incident was reported to the City’s Recreation and Parks Department on October 4 in the early hours of the morning.
The Recreation and Parks standby tree emergency team was promptly dispatched upon receiving the call, and the fallen tree was identified as Turkish Oak (Quercus cerris).
The tree obstructed Claremont Main Road, affecting both incoming and outgoing traffic. Fortunately, no injuries occurred during the incident, and it only caused damage to the road curbing and a street light pole.
Native to Europe and parts of Asia, the Turkish Oak (Quercus cerris) stood at an impressive height of approximately 25 meters, with a spread of 16 meters and a trunk diameter of 1.2 metres.
Although the exact planting date is unknown, it is estimated to have been planted during the early to mid-20th century, making the tree approximately 80 to 100 years old.
The tree was likely planted by a member of the Arderne family to showcase the diverse tree species in Arderne Gardens.
Arderne Gardens is a historic public garden featuring a diverse collection of indigenous and exotic plant species, and is known for its champion trees and offers visitors a serene natural environment to explore and enjoy.
The primary factors contributing to the tree's fall may have included above-average rainfall, strong gale-force winds and previous storms.
Additionally, susceptibility to heart rot, a fungal disease affecting the tree's core, may have played a role. These factors collectively weakened the tree, making it vulnerable to toppling.
Mayco for community services and health, Patricia van der Ross, said: “Champion Trees enjoy protected status, and those in the city are a part of our history. Their role in the eco system and ensuring a healthier city is invaluable.
“While we are sad to see that it has succumbed to the severe weather, it will continue to benefit the garden.
“The wood from the fallen tree will be re-purposed and reused within Arderne Gardens, ensuring that it continues to contribute to the beauty and sustainability of the garden,” said Van der Ross.
This incident marks the second fallen Champion Tree in the past two years, following the loss of the great Cork Oak in 2021, which has reduced the total count from six to four in the garden.
Champion Trees are recognised for their exceptional size, age, aesthetic appeal, cultural significance, historic value, or tourist attraction.
There are currently 13 Champion Trees in the city.
The remaining Champion trees in Arderne Gardens include the Moreton Bay Fig (Ficus macrophylla), Norfolk Island Pine (Araucaria heterophylla), Aleppo Pine (Pinus halepensis), and Queensland Kauri (Agathis robusta).
The significance of the recognition of Champion Trees is that it has protected status under the National Forests Act, 1998 (ACT NO. 84 OF 1998), as amended.
In terms of the Act, ‘no person may cut, disturb, damage or destroy any protected tree or possess, collect, remove, transport, export, purchase, sell, donate or in any other manner acquire or dispose of any protected tree or any forest product derived from a protected tree, except under a licence granted by the Minister or in terms of an exemption from the provisions.’