On Monday, 26 May 2025, the City of Cape Town began replanting trees in the Newlands area after thousands of trees were lost to the deadly and devastating polyphagous shot-hole borer beetle infestation across the city. Here Wilfred Brown, a car guard in the area of more than 40 years, is pictured kissing a newly planted water oak (Quercus nigra) tree which replaced an older boxelder (Acer negundo) that was cut down after being infested in 2024. (Photo: Kristin Engel)
By Kristin Engel – 26 May 2025
After thousands of trees were lost to the devastating shot hole borer beetle infestation, new life is being planted in Newlands, Cape Town. It’s the first reforestation effort to restore biodiversity in the city’s southern suburbs.
Over the past few years, there has been a catastrophic loss of thousands of trees to the invasive polyphagous shot-hole borer beetle, but new hope is taking root in Newlands, Cape Town…
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