Mole palms find new home

A Swakopmund landmark, the clump of old palms trees east of the old Strand Hotel, had to make way for the new hotel, before official construction could start last week.
Owner of the Strand Hotel, O&L Leisure said it has commissioned Palms for Africa, a Swakopmund company, to relocate the 14 palms trees, all estimated to be about a century old, to the Rossmund Golf Club outside Swakop.

“Four of the palm trees are located in the middle of the site and approximately where the future Strand Hotel’s entrance and reception area will be located. Ten are located on the eastern side of the site and if not removed will be severely damaged by construction work” the company said. It was decided to relocate the trees using Palms for Africa. Opinions were also sourced from other horticultural sources to assess the palm trees’ ability to survive transplantation.
All agreed that the palm trees would more than likely not survive two transplantations: i.e. from the site to a temporary site and back with a building period of 18 to 19 months in-between.  O&L therefore decided – in the interest of the palms’ survival – to donate the 14 trees to the Rossmund Golf Estate where there is space, water and professional know-how of how to care for palms during their transplantation period.”