Help the city get shot of shot hole borers that are infesting our trees

Cape Town - Residents have been reminded to attend an online meeting regarding the invasive Polyphagous Shot Hole Borer beetle (PSHB), which has now been discovered in trees in Newlands, Rondebosch and Mowbray.

The meeting, hosted by the City, is taking place from 6.30pm to 8pm on Tuesday where officials will provide more information about the symptoms of infested trees, how to report sightings to the City, and what action to take.

The beetle poses a serious threat to the urban forest as infested trees have to be chipped. Residents are encouraged to get involved in preventing this pest from spreading even further.

Some trees in Newlands, Rondebosch, Mowbray and Claremont have been infested already, with the Liesbeek River being identified as a priority pathway.

Mayco member for Spatial Planning and Environment, Eddie Andrews, said: “We are calling on residents, interest groups and experts to assist the City to prevent this pest from spreading even further.

“The beetle is threatening our urban forest. This is a very serious and alarming situation. I want to caution our communities not to be complacent, and to inspect all trees on private properties for symptoms of infestation. It is very important to note that infested trees may not be removed from the property as the removal of the chipped wood will spread the pest to other areas.

“At this online meeting, officials from our Invasive Species Unit will give important information. I urge residents to please attend this online meeting if possible, and to help us beat the beetle,” said Andrews.

A Boxelder tree infested with the invasive beetle was discovered on a private property in Newlands on January 24, 2023. Since then, the Invasive Species Unit has been conducting assessments in the Newlands, Rondebosch, Mowbray and Claremont areas. The Liesbeek River has been identified as a priority pathway, and the City has allocated resources to conduct assessments to determine the extent and distribution of the beetle in the area.

The City said it will soon commence with the removal of infested trees on City owned land – these are public open spaces, river corridors, green belts, road verges and public parks.

Details of the online meeting:

· It will be hosted on Microsoft Teams

· Date: Tuesday, February 7

· Time: 6:30pm to 8pm

· RSVP: https://forms.gle/T7mUexES6Qi9sHnd9

·To join, click here: Click here to join the meeting

How to report PSHB beetle sightings:

· Online, at www.capetown.gov.za/InvasiveSpecies

· Call the City of Cape Town’s Invasive Species Unit on 021 444 2357, Monday to Friday, from 07:30 to 16:00

· Send an email to: invasive.species@capetown.gov.za

Cape Times