An international team of tree climbers arrived in Cape Town on 4 January for a month-long expedition to climb Champion Trees throughout the country.
The aim of the expedition, under the leadership of David Wiles of the United Kingdom, is to scale about 20 of the largest and oldest trees in South Africa – all listed under the Champion Tree Project of the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries.
These trees include several venerable yellowwood trees towering above the canopy of the Knysna forests, giant baobabs such as the iconic Sagole tree in Vhembe District, the matumi triad of trees at Amorentia Estate near Tzaneen known as the Three Queens, and the tallest tree in Africa - a saligna gum tree growing in the Woodbush State Forest.
The team shares a passion for trees and has climbed tree giants in various parts of the world. Leon Visser, a local tree climbing enthusiast from Stellenbosch will be joining the expedition on some of the climbs. Visser has worked with the department in determining the height of very tall Champion Trees that cannot be reliably established with instruments.
Currently more than 70 trees and groups of trees have been declared by the department as Champion Trees, based on criteria such as size, age and historical value. These trees are all protected under the National Forests Act.
Tree climbers have a passion for scaling the biggest and the oldest trees, and height is not always the defining criterion. The Sagole baobab, for example, is only 22 m tall, however a mathematic size formula established it as the largest indigenous tree in the country on the basis its extensive trunk circumference (more than 33 m).
Through this tree climbing expedition the climbers hope to raise awareness of trees and the need to protect our heritage. The department in partnership with the Dendrological Society of South Africa assisted in organising the expedition and obtaining necessary approval from various landowners and conservation authorities.
For media enquiries please contact:
Steve Galane
Acting Chief Director: Stakeholder Relations and Communications
Cell: 083 635 7346
E-mail: SteveGAL@daff.gov.za
Johan Bester
Tel: 012 309 5767
E-mail: JohanBE@daff.gov.za
