Durban schools joyously celebrate Spring Day and Arbor Week in colourful style

Durban — In celebration of National Arbor Week and Spring Day, various Durban schools dressed for the occasion and celebrated the change of season.

Earlier on Monday, Maris Stella held a Spring Fashion Show and pupils were dressed up in bright colours resembling the change of season.

Chelsea Preparatory School was also dressed for the occasion and was filled with floral-inspired colours and artwork.

Head of department and Grade 3 educator, Nerisha Daniel, and Charmaine Warwick, from marketing & PR, said that their Junior Primary had an assembly reading yesterday (Monday) morning about Arbor Week. This, while the Grade 2 teachers were reading stories to their classes about Arbor Week and the importance of trees.

They added that the Grade 3’s term three theme was about “Trees and Forests” and that the Grade 3 pupils were getting their vegetable garden ready for spring.

“If the young generation are taught how important trees are to our planet, it will ensure that the future of our planet is in good hands. By teaching the young generation, they will in turn talk to their parents and that will then encourage the older generation to make their own environment greener. If each family makes a small change, it will make our communities a greener place,” they said.

Maris Stella Grade 2 teacher, Jenna Kim Jones, said Arbor Week was a chance for young learners to participate in indigenous tree planting and nature walks, bringing awareness of the importance of trees and the environment.

She added that the whole school, from Grade 000 to Grade 12, celebrated Spring Day. Each pupil made a cash donation which will be used to assist a local charity organisation.

“A time to encourage our school community to plant indigenous trees and remind our pupils to take care of the environment around them. This enabled them to wear colourful spring themed civvies. Our Junior Primary girls brought flowers to brighten up the classrooms, and hand-crafted crowns, which they modelled for our ‘teacher judges.’ The top 3 crowns per grade were awarded prizes,” Jones said.

South Durban Community Environmental Alliance (SDCEA) coordinator, Desmond D’Sa, said Arbor Week was a week where one remembered trees that have been growing from hundreds of years and the importance it plays in people’s lives.

“The whole issue of capturing carbon and sulphur through the development of trees is important. As today is Spring Day, let's remember what spring offers; that is, a change of life and newness,” D’Sa said.

He added that this day was also an indication of the air one breathes, or the water one drinks, and their respective importance.

D’Sa concluded that Arbor Week should remind everyone that cutting down trees is not the right thing to do and that they should be preserved.

“We need to remind ourselves of the importance of trees, all plants and animals because without that, we will struggle to live,” D’Sa said.

In celebration of this week, D’Sa said they will plan a clean-up in Wentworth on Tuesday to remind communities on cleanliness and planting.

In a statement, the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) said that this week marked the celebration of Arbor Week, which is celebrated during the first week of September annually.

“September is also Heritage Month and as we celebrate Arbor Week, the department also focuses on the country’s champion trees which include some of the oldest, largest and culturally significant trees. These include the Sophiatown Oak Tree and the Sagole Baobab Tree in Limpopo, which are part of our heritage.”

The DFFE added that National Arbor Week is an opportune time to call on all South Africans to plant indigenous trees as a practical and symbolic gesture of sustainable environmental management.

• It allows the government, the private sector, non-governmental and community-based organisations and the public to be involved in "greening" their communities. Planting trees and greening human settlements take place in communities.
• It is therefore important for the public to join hands with partners in local government and community-based organisations.
• Greening refers to an integrated approach to the planting, care and management of all vegetation in urban and rural areas, to secure multiple benefits for communities.
• Greening in the South African context takes place in towns, townships and informal settlements specifically because in the past the latter mentioned areas were disadvantaged in terms of planning for parks as well as tree planting in streets and open spaces.

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