Cape Town’s secret weapon to deter bark thieves? A coat of paint
Image: Marianne Schwankhart
Fever trees in Cape Town will be painted light brown to thwart bark thieves.
The city council plan follows after what mayoral committee member Zahid Badroodien called an “alarming” number of trees being stripped of their bark, which is used for medicinal and cultural purposes.
Badroodien, whose portfolio covers community services and health, said the trend could destroy thousands of trees in public open spaces.
“When the bark is stripped from the entire circumference of a tree, also referred to as ring-barking, trees die a slow death due to the interruption of their nutritional transport systems,” he said.
“If only partially stripped, it damages the tree to such an extent that it inhibits the growth pattern and weakens the tree, making it more susceptible to stressors such as drought and disease.”
Badroodien asked people to alert the council about incidents of bark stripping. “We can only win this battle with the help of the public,” he said.
Camphor and fever trees are the worst-affected.
Camphor is used topically to relieve pain and reduce itching. It has also been used to treat fungal infections of the toenail, warts, cold sores, haemorrhoids, and osteoarthritis. Fever bark is used to treat fevers and eye infections.
