The Reality of Damas (Conocarpus spp.) planting in AD city - 2014

The reality of Damas planting in Abu Dhabi city - 2014

Prepared by Dr Abdul Sattar S. Al Mashhadani, PRFD, IMAS,ADM.

The Reality of Damas Planting in Abu Dhabi City

Introduction

The species of Conocarpus genus, which related to the Combretaceae family, are endemic

in Africa (Angola, Cameroon, Guinea, Guinea Besar, Liberia, Nigeria, Senegal , Sraleon

and Zaire) and in North America (the coasts of Mexico and USA - Florida) and South

America (Antigua , Barbuda , Bhmas , Belize , Brazil , Colombia , Costariku, Cuba,

Ecuador, Salvador, French Guiana, Greenland, Guatemala, Guadeloupe , Guyana ,

Honduras , Damaaka , Martnkeo , Montserrat , Panama , Nicaragua , Peru , Puerto Rico ,

Trinidad , Tobago, and Venezuela). Their spread Distributed between Bermuda and

Bhmas, passing through the western Andean and toward mid-Florida, and from the north

of Mexico in the south wing of the Pacific Coast to Ecuador. And from Senegal to Zaire

in the west of tropical Africa (not widespread).

Generally there are two species , shrubby and tree shaped.

The local conventional Damas on two species: one called erected Damas: Conocarpus

erectus L. it is evergreen tree or shrub with sprawling branches, grows to the limits of 3

m. and it looks like a bush and can grow as a tree when adopting regular pruning for its

lower branches. It has two distinctive varieties : which has green fuzzy leaves with or

Fluff-free Conocarpus erectus var. erectus (Green Buttonwood).

There is other variety with silver fluffy dense leaves, and a high salt tolerance followed

also for this species called Conocarpus erectus var. sericeus (Silver Buttonwood). Its

cultivation spread as one of the most important ornamental trees ,especially in Kuwait



Other species is an arboreal, Conocarpus lancifolius Engl., called land gurm or mangrove

being tolerates the salts up to 25,000 ppm. It spreads in tropical regions of America and

East Africa near the coast of the sea and on the beaches and rivers of Somalia and

Djibouti, as well as in Yemen and the Arabian Peninsula, and South Asia. It is an

evergreen fast-growing tree reaches a height of 5-7 m (6-10 m) and spread equally and

openly.

Advantages and disadvantages of Damas cultivation

Advantages

For more than four decades this tree occupied high position on giant reforestation

projects within a composition of other tree and shrub species in windbreaks, green

protective belts for farms ,roads and cities against the effects of sand encroachment .

it uses extensively as ornamental beautiful tree in parks and public squares across all the

emirates due to its highly tolerance under the local environment conditions , in particular

its ability to withstand salt , whether through irrigation or by a rise in ground water level

and also its higher tolerance against pests and diseases .. Moreover it’s foraging ,

productive and pharmacological characteristics.



It has also distinctive environmental characteristics :

• Grows in different soil types and usually spread on the fresh or salty

sedimentary beaches or marshes and river banks . .. It can also be grown in

shallow soil.

• Tolerates very high salinity .

• Its ability to grow in dry land far from the sea shores.

• According to the signal of biodiversity centers in Africa and Central

America , this species tolerates diseases , pests and salt , waterlogging (

high ground water level ).

• Grown individually as a shady ornamental tree within suitable area for the

privacy of its beauty and as windbreaks in the green belts . Due to its easy

formation , planted as fences , screens or buffer for noise abatement .

• In addition to the evidence of its vital impact on treatment of contaminated

soils with petroleum derivatives .

Other usages

Its bark used for tanning the leather, contains dyestuffs substances and tannin by

16-18%. Its fresh vegetative growths and young suckers serve as fodder for goats.

It has a solid and heavy wood and takes a finely polish. Characterized by strongly

water tolerance, so it used in the manufacture of warships, boats and marine

construction. Although it is exposed to white ants attack (which affects the dry

timber), except that it uses in the work of fencing and carpentry business .

Moreover wood has a high thermal value as a fuel, with a good and slow burn, so

exploits widely in coal production with a high degree.

It has many uses in folk medicine: used as astringent and stop bleeding “Styptic “

, Tonic, and in the treatment of anemia and colds and congestion and diabetes,

and Diarrhea, fever and gonorrhea, headaches and blood bleeding “Hemorrhage”

and disease tropical herpes (skin disease) and to treat fever by eating the leaves or

drinking its boiled extract.

The good annual production of the stands of this species estimated up to 10-20 (25) t / ha.

As for fuel also estimated up to 10-20 (25) cubic meters / ha / year. In general, due to its

heavy wood the cubic meter represents the highest value compared with other species.

The amounts of dropping vegetative litters on the stand land can be represent a third to a

half of the productivity of the above vegetation (important in enriching the soil fertility).



Disadvantages

Damas just the same as many fast-growing trees which have active and dense vegetative

growth commensurate with the increase and expansion of their dense and strong root

systems growth, which require suitable specificity and determination of well-chosen site

for cultivation for the purpose of avoiding any damage from the root systems on

infrastructures and various service installations. Where it can, during several years ,

reaches up to 10 m height (can grow at a rate exceeding 2 m annually in the early stage of

cultivation), which is reflected in turn on the speed of its root system growth root,

especially when it cared well or when the conditions for the soil and water are suitable.

The root systems stepped aside to grow horizontally beneath the soil surface for a

distance exceeding more than twice of the drop tree crown and extensively within a depth

of 15-30 cm and without tendency to deepen greatly in their sphenoid growth, causing the

possibility to penetrate and destroy the nearby infrastructure networks (fresh water,

sanitation, electricity and telephone ..) as well as its potential to penetrate the concrete

and rocks while searching water and nutrients.



The work size of the removal of random Damas trees may associated with several

elements ; including the age , tree size , planting site , surrounding around the property

and the service installations . Therefore, to ensure the safety of the site and its

surroundings , must be taken into account to assign the work to a specialized party to

remove these trees and re- planting them in appropriate locations , according to an

integrated action plan that considered the land use master-plan of Abu Dhabi City .

Generally there is a conflict between the cultivation of woody plants (trees , shrubs,

large) and the locations of these systems , where the increase over the negative impact ,

service , socially and economically with Random cultivated in such sites.

The patterns of Damas tree planting

Depending on the environmental, functional, and aesthetic requirements of the site that

commensurate with the output and the characteristics of this species and its relationship

to other species, Damas may plant on different patterns:

Individually as shaded tree or in groups or rows to form a hedge or vegetative screen

(obstruct or minimize the impacts of pollution and noise) as well as with other shrub and

tree species within forest windbreaks or protective shelterbelts along the sides of

highways and around the cities and vital utilities. It can also be grown in containers or

large pots for short-term purposes (for occasions or to border some events and activities

or certain facilities or the sites of social activities).



Rules and General Considerations

I) There isn’t at all any useless tree , if selected properly.

It has a great life and environmental importance, in addition to being the main element in

the shelterbelts establishment and in city greening; its gardens that enjoy and attract the

visitors to spend the best times under their shades.

2) the species selection for planting (especially trees),within domestic areas or any

landscape project, must be associated mainly with complete knowledge about the

characteristics and requirements of each species (water, edaphic , aesthetic and the nature

of its vegetative and roots system growth) and also the exchangeable effects of its

planting interference on its growth status and its beauty within the selected site.

This is because the trees, as all plants, have different species , forms and environmental

requirements and various modifications depending on their genetic and morphological

characteristics. On the basis of proper appreciation of these properties and their

determinants , developed specific criteria for their choice and according or depending on

the purpose and the outcome of micro-environmental conditions.

The asset size of Damas trees in Abu Dhabi city

1) Abu Dhabi Island

The Damas tree number represents a percentage of 19.5% of the total of tree species

within Abu Dhabi Island.



2) Abu Dhabi mainland

In Abu Dhabi mainland, Damas tree constitute the main tree species with the composition

of other species in most windbreaks and green belts planted on the sides and medians of

the highways.

Where their total number reached a percentage of 13.5% of the total of tree species

within in the mainland.

In other words the total tree number in Abu Dhabi city within all landscaping projects

areas under PRFD supervision reached 14.7% of the total of other tree species.

By assuming that the plant spacing distances are not less than 7m 7m, so this number

of trees occupied more than 733 hectares.

3) Private property

Not to mention the huge numbers of this species in the forest and landscape projects of

other departments such as; Environment Agency - Abu Dhabi and the parks departments

in the eastern and western regions of Abu Dhabi Emirate, there are also Damas trees that

planted in private locations and gardens, which have the dominance compared with other

tree species ... in addition to their enormous numbers in the all the Emirates.



Conclusion

As basic constants, we can say:

The problems that arising from growing any plant species in a particular site

comes as an unavoidable result of the failure to prepare and select the suitable site

for planting , according to the knowledge of morphological characteristics of the

species and its environmental requirements , particularly spatial one. This means

that the choice of any plant species, particularly trees, within the areas of any

landscaping project must be linked mainly with full knowledge of their aesthetic

features, and the nature of its vegetative and root system growth.

The negligence or lack of knowledge of these agricultural constants, especially

with fast-growing species such as Damas tree planting that spreads dramatically

in domestic and public gardens, could inflict damage on a lot of sites, rather than

performing its goal.

We can also say that the removals could also include, for example, all the random

plants growing along the facades of residential buildings, which can have a lot of

negative impacts on the safety of infrastructure services. .. Add to their adverse

effects, especially the neglected ones, on the security and public safety.

Therefore, the situation requires, before proceeding to remove any tree, to stand on the

conditions of its cultivation through investigate the degree of tree compatibility with

surrounding conditions.

Of all what we have said and to avoid the loss of a lot of efforts and expenses, we have to

have a prior knowledge about the characteristics of any selected plant species before

planting it .. Because the choice of site may be inappropriate. Then we have to blame our

poor choice of site and not the plant.

Obviously, our recommendation, to all interested stakeholders, to develop scheduled

programs to evaluate the planted sites, based on an inventory and assessment of their sites

suitability (according to the priorities of the tree’s harm level caused to infrastructure)

within public and private areas, for the purpose of recognition to keep or remove them

and to transfer them to alternative appropriate locations . Note that the assessment does

not include the sites of forest windbreaks or protective shelterbelts growing outside the

boundaries of urban areas or around or along the sides and medians of highways.

It should be noted that Municipality of Abu Dhabi city has already been , in its turn,

responses to many public questions and explain the reasons behind the suffering of some

people due to agricultural practices in general, and in particular Damas care through

clarification of its properties , as well as through workshops set up by in different

occasions ( including celebration World Forestry Day in March 2013 ) , for all concerned

sides, contractors and consultants ... this is in addition to the periodic telephonic public

answers ( related to this tree) and from interested stakeholders across municipal lines .



Finally, we cannot judge against these trees or to similar ones to eliminate their

cultivation and put an end to their vital and environmental role in all local plantations.

References

Consultants Statistics January 8, 2014.

Al Mashhadani, Abdul Sattar Salih 2004. Tree and shrub plants in UAE Habitats "

Combretaceae Family " Al Asima Journal, No. 96-2004, Municipality of Abu

Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

Documents

The Reality of Damas (Conocarpus spp.) planting in AD city - 2014