Bedfordview residents, through the Better Bedfordview initiative, have donated 100 spekboom plants for the benefit of the Bedfordview area.

Chris Greenwood and Nicole Hill have donated spekboom plants from the Owl Rescue Centre to the Better Bedfordview team up and clean up initiative.

“We hope the spekboom will provide shade for the wonderful residents in Bedfordview, with parks having beautiful trees to relax under. We hope it will also provide beauty and where our bird life can flourish as well,” said Hill.

Ward 20 Clr Jill Humphreys said spekboom is a local plant that absorbs carbon dioxide and cleans the air.

“Spekboom is indigenous. It absorbs up to ten times more pollution than other plants. It is also edible for humans and animals, along with being water wise,” said Humphreys.

She said South Africans, on average, produce just over one ton of carbon emissions per person a year.

“You would need to plant 120 of these little guys to offset your carbon footprint,” said Humphreys.

Humphreys said each plant is R10 each from the Owl Rescue Centre and is planted in wood pots, which you can place straight into the ground, and, over time, they will decompose.

“The intention of Better Bedfordview is to plant these spekboom, where there is a lot of traffic and highway embankments,” said Humphreys.

Better Bedfordview does regular clean-ups in Bedfordview and urges the community to donate as little as R30 per month to cover the cost of the clean-ups.