MATD South Africa realized in 2020 a significant Green Point in East Cape (Berlin Plant and Port Elisabeth) to compensate CO2 emission. 700 Spekbome trees have been planted at the plants in the Eastern Cape. Spekboome trees were selected due to the following amazing properties:
- Spekboom is proudly South African, it is found predominantly in the Eastern Cape, it hrives in poor soils, it tolerates both drought and frost.
- Spekboom is one of the best carbon sequestrators in the world, Spekboom thicket is ten times more effective than the Amazon rainforest: one hectare of Spekboom can sequester between 4 and 10 tonnes of carbon per year, so it a powerful tool in the fight against climate change
- Spekboom trees can live up to 200 years and they can grow as tall as 5 meters; furthermore they propagates very easily, and a broken-off branch can quickly grow roots and create a whole new plant.
- Spekboom are equipped with a unique mechanism for adapting to their surroundings: in the wet, cool months, Spekboom, opens its stomata during the day to absorb carbon dioxide; during drier times, the plant has the ability to open its stomata at night in order to prevent water loss during the heat of the day.
- Spekboom is edible, with a very high nutritional value
The project will be extended to plant even more trees in the next few years, due to the fact that the Spekboom is so effective in removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere by acting like a carbon sponge, improving the quality of air we breathe and contributing to the de-carbonization.
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