New trees, now new wall
Tremaine van Aardt
OUT with the old and in with the new.
DF Malherbe has replaced the its alien Bluegum trees, which have been growing along the school’s perimeter in Main Road for 56 years, with 30 smaller deciduous trees.
DF Malherbe sports coordinator Theresa Prince said when Port Elizabeth experienced heavy rains last year in October, it created fertile soil and a prime opportunity to begin the project of removing the Bluegums and planting the deciduous trees.
The school raised funds for the project by holding a "telethon” in which prefects took shifts calling various individuals and asking for sponsorship for the project.
The 30 indigenous trees were planted on October 18 last year and are growing steadily.
Each class was allocated a tree which they must care for as their own, with the school providing the water and compost required to nurture the trees.
Following this successful "transplant”, the school’s latest project is a new perimeter wall to complement the new trees.