Vergelegen Wine Estate in Somerset West, renowned for multiple sustainability initiatives, gathered staff from all divisions to plant 200 trees in celebration of Arbor Month (September).
The estate is committed to planting 1 000 trees every year in the 54 hectare arboretum, gardens and other areas where fallen trees need to be replaced.
Nature is in a constant state of flux and several of the estate’s trees – despite considerable research, investment and collaboration with leading universities and tree experts – have been lost to the destructive polyphagous shot hole borer beetle.
The estate is also located in an area prone to strong winds. Gale force winds, during an intense low-pressure system in April, toppled 120 large trees in the cultural heritage area.
Richard Arm, Vergelegen’s gardens manager, selected resilient species for the Arbor Week planting. These included South Africa’s national tree, real yellowwood (Podocarpus latifolius), as well as milkwood (Sideroxylon inerme), water oak (Quercus nigra) and turkey oak (Quercus cerris).
Vergelegen has planted 626 trees to date this year and Arm is confident the wine estate will surpass its target.
