Vergelegen Wine Estate in Somerset West, renowned for its sustainability initiatives, celebrated Arbor Week in early September with a meaningful event. Staff from various divisions—including pastry chefs, vineyard workers, and garden staff—came together to plant 200 trees, furthering the estate's commitment to environmental stewardship.

Vergelegen aims to plant 1,000 trees annually across its 54-hectare arboretum, gardens, and other areas where trees have been lost. This ongoing effort is a key part of the estate's environmental and sustainability mission.

Despite extensive research and collaboration with universities and tree experts, several of Vergelegen's trees have succumbed to the destructive polyphagous shot hole borer beetle. Additionally, the estate, located in a wind-prone region, lost 120 large trees in its 60-hectare cultural heritage area due to gale-force winds during an intense low-pressure system in April.

To replenish the estate's greenery, Richard Arm, Vergelegen’s gardens manager, selected resilient species for Arbor Week planting. Among them were South Africa’s national tree, the real yellowwood (Podocarpus latifolius), as well as milkwood (Sideroxylon inerme), water oak (Quercus nigra), and turkey oak (Quercus cerris).

With 626 trees planted so far this year, Arm is confident the estate will surpass its goal. Vergelegen is home to an impressive array of trees, some dating back centuries. Noteworthy specimens include an Outeniqua yellowwood, an ancient white mulberry, a hollow old English oak, and five monumental camphor trees in front of the homestead, proclaimed national monuments in 1942.

Vergelegen, a provincial heritage site, is open to the public daily, offering visitors a glimpse into its rich environmental legacy.

Learn more about Vergelegen’s gardens and sustainability efforts at:
https://vergelegen.co.za/gardens/

Photo Caption: Left to right: Dorathea Willemse from the Vergelegen wine tasting centre and Carlo Jackson from the gardens team.

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