City Park’s plans to plant 2 000 trees this Arbor Day
BRIXTON – City Parks aims to give the Brixton Cemetery much-needed treatment to celebrate Arbor Day on September 1.
Johannesburg City Parks and Zoo plans to rejuvenate the historical Brixton Cemetery through greening restoration, green fencing and the planting of 2 000 indigenous trees to mark Arbor Day on September 1.
In celebration of National Arbor Week, which takes place annually from September 1, Johannesburg City Parks and Zoo will be reinforcing the perimeter fencing with a green fence and the planting of indigenous trees along the inside of the fence. With the ongoing acts of vandalism, theft of palisade fencing, illegal dumping and the presence of displaced persons, the aim of the green fencing will be an effort to provide sustainable solutions to these challenges.
Brixton Cemetery holds rich history and heritage of the city since it was first laid out in 1912. In the early 1900s, Mahatma Gandhi approached the Town Council on behalf of the Hindu community to construct a crematorium, which was built in 1918, and is now a heritage site. The cemetery is also a resting place for various religious communities, such as the Jewish, Chinese and Muslim communities. The graves of the many soldiers who fought in two world wars can be found in the cemetery.
“As we prepare to mark Arbor Day, let us remember that each of us have a responsibility to protect our environment by planting indigenous trees during Arbor month. The Global Peace campaign of 2020, ‘Plant trees, Not Bombs,’ comes amidst President Cyril Ramphosa’s call to the citizens of South Africa to plant trees across the country,” said Member of the Mayoral Committee for Community Development councillor Margaret Arnolds.
The benefits of trees are endless. They remove carbon dioxide from the air while releasing oxygen into the atmosphere, purifying the air we breathe. Trees provide shade, attract birds and wildlife, prevent soil erosion and beautify our living spaces. This year’s theme is “Forest restoration, a path to recovery and well-being”, it is a desperate call on nations to act now to save our fragile environment. Arbor month aims to inspire people globally to take action in restoring our earth to its natural splendour.
ALSO READ:
City Parks requests patience as they deal with fallen street trees
