Eucalyptus trees – the end of an era
Holtman says some trees are tilting and they could be cut down but the rest should not be removed completely
THE era of the Eucalyptus trees along Mirabel Street in Bonaero Park has come to an end.
These giants are now systematically being cut down by the metro and will be replaced with indigenous trees.
Ward councillor André du Plessis, who is also a horticulturist, said these trees were really old and posed a danger to surrounding properties, should one fall over.
He said two trees had already fallen. Because of their age they were rotten at the bottom.
But for Jack Holtman, who has lived on Mirabel Street for 43 years, this is a sad day. He had been fighting for the trees to stay for some years and now made contact with Greenpeace.
Whether any of the trees could be saved, remains unknown, as at least 13 had been removed by Thursday last week.
He disagreed with Du Plessis about the rotten state of the trees that fell over. He said these two trees fell because vandals drilled holes into the ground around the trees and poured diesel into the holes. They then set the diesel alight, leading to the trees catching fire, smouldering and dying.
Holtman told Kempton Express some trees were tilting and they could be cut down but that the rest should not be removed completely. They should rather be topped.
Holtman said if this was done, the trees would grow branches sideways and not upwards.
Du Plessis agreed he did not like the trees being removed but the safety of property and people came first.
Another resident who has the Eucalyptus trees close at heart, is Johann van Zyl. “I am disgusted with the metro cutting down the trees,” he said.
“Personally, I feel that Mirabel Street, leading to Blaauwpan, used to be one of the most beautiful streets in Bonaero park, with all the trees leading up to the entrance of the pan. However, now Mirabel looks like most other African countries – no trees and rubble.
“I do understand that the trees are not indigenous, but as I, and many other residents pleaded in the past, replacethe trees first and make sure they grow before cutting down the others. Even a beautiful bloekom tree on the corner of Lanseria and the turn into Mirabel had been cut down. Why cut a tree down if there is no risk?”
