Cape Forum donates 100 water pear trees to Overberg schools

Cape Forum teamed up with GreenForLife this month to plant 100 water pear trees (Syzygium guineense) to donate to three schools.

This initiative aims to help create a greener, more shady future environment for Boontjieskraal Primary School, The Glebe Primary School and Swartberg Primary School.

The water pear trees are evergreen and also bear edible fruit for almost five months of the year. These trees grow quite quickly at between 1 m and 1.5 m per year, if they are well cared for.

Bernard Pieters, head of community activation at Cape Forum, expressed his gratitude to the Western Cape Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, who he considers a partner in this project.

“Collaboration is at the heart of any sustainable project. This is how we can together make our schools beautiful, keep them safe and strengthen them.”

Pieters sees the trees as an example of life and oxygen “which helps to make our children aware of how important it is to look after something and manage it properly.”

The trees are used for various purposes. This helps with the regulation of water on the site, especially during the winter months. It also serves as an educational tool where learners are involved in subjects such as natural science and mathematics, for example by having them measure and plan.

Reginald DP Jackson, principal of Boontjieskraal Primary School, says the trees also contribute to the beautification of the grounds and create shade where children can play and enjoy their breaks.

“Planting trees is about practical benefits: shade, and a healthier space for people and communities to live in,” adds Aldo Carelse, projects assistant for Cape Forum.

Cape Forum has several projects aimed at supporting schools. Among other things, the organization offers safety audits at schools so that schools can be aware of the risks they may have to deal with specifically.