Planting hope one tree at a time

The journey of Themba Trees Tree Farm near Grabouw started in her backyard, says Caroline de Villiers, the Western Cape department of agriculture’s Top Commercial Female Entrepreneur for 2016. Today, the 12ha wholesale tree farm boasts more than 50 000 indigenous and ornamental trees. Jeandré du Preez reports.

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A passion for trees and job creation motivated the establishment of the wholesale tree farm, Themba Trees, nine years ago.

“I grew up on a farm and have always loved trees and forests,” says owner, Caroline de Villiers. The tree farm caught the eye of the Western Cape department of agriculture, and it presented her with the Western Cape Top Entrepreneur Smallholder award in 2010, and the Western Cape Top Commercial Female Entrepreneur award for 2016. After living abroad for five years, Caroline returned to South Africa and settled with her family on her stepfather’s apple farm, Kromvlei, near Grabouw. Here, her passion for trees was reignited and she started a small tree nursery on the farm.

While living overseas, Caroline completed an MSc in International Development, with focus on the development of African economies. Starting a nursery seemed the perfect business opportunity to combine her BSc Forestry and MSc degrees, and follow her passion for protecting the environment and empowering others by creating jobs.

“At that stage, the tree nursery industry was also booming. Everybody was selling trees and there was a great demand for ‘instant’ trees from landscapers and property developers.”

As the business grew, Caroline identified a 2ha piece of land on Thandi Farm, which had good visibility from the N2. It was here, in 2007, where she started growing her business. But, although Thandi offered an opportunity for expansion, Caroline did not have security of tenure, so thought it too risky to spend money on any infrastructure. She had to look for a new location.

Six years later, Caroline moved the business to Kromvlei, where a plantation of blue gum trees (Eucalyptus saligna) had been cleared. The cleared area was perfect for cultivating trees and right on her doorstep.