The 1st of September heralded the start of spring and the start of Arbor week, an annual celebration that dates back to Nebraska (USA) 1872. In South Africa, Arbor Day was first celebrated in 1983, and in 1999 the National Government extended the celebration of Arbor Day to Arbor Week. Every year a new Tree of the Year is celebrated and 2011’s tree is Pappea capensis, the Jacket plum. This year, hundreds of thousands of trees will be planted. However, most of these will not be planted because of their natural beauty or because of our need to restore our forests. Rather, they will be planted as part of our collective and ongoing efforts to counter the impacts of climate change.

Every tree will have an impact. In KZN, 1 indigenous tree will sequester around 250 kg’s of CO2 over 20 years, or 12 kg’s per annum. Wildlands, in partnership with the KZN Government and eThekwini Metro, will plant over 500 000 trees this coming year, supporting the sequestration of over 6 000 tons of CO2 per annum. However, this is a fraction of the impact required to slow and reverse climate change. South Africans collectively emit over 436 million tons of CO2 per annum, placing us 13th in the global standing of CO2 emitters. To offset this impact, we’d need to plant over 36 billion trees per annum! So why bother?

I believe that every tree planted will not only make its own small contribution, but is symbolic of our growing consciousness and commitment to addressing the challenges of climate change. Now, many will argue “too little, too late”! There are also legions of “tree” sceptics, who rightfully argue that we won’t stop climate change by planting trees. They’re right, it is going to take a whole lot more! But, South Africa has never seen environmental mobilisation on the current scale.

This will be aptly demonstrated by a historic event next weekend. On Saturday, the 10th September, over 25 000 Zulu maidens will converge in Nongoma for the annual Royal Reed Dance Festival, Umkhosi woMhlanga. This year, a new element will be incorporated into the Festival, namely the planting of an indigenous tree by each maiden. This initiative is being supported by the National Department of Environment affairs as part of their pre-COP 17 activities, and is simply one example of a massive mobilization of green action across the country. Hopefully, King Zwelithini will make a point of explaining to the maidens the significance of the tree that they have planted. That their tree is symbolic of the need for them to become custodians of our natural resources and ambassadors for our planet. This is also true for every other South African who plants a tree during and after Arbor week.