Van den Berk Nurseries, one of the largest nurseries in Europe, has unveiled its green project at Rotterdam Zoo in the Netherlands.
Last year, Rotterdam Zoo needed to remove and replace two diseased trees located near its resident giraffes. Van den Berk Nurseries selected the Gleditsia, a tree species native to North America and Asia.
For the giraffes to snack on, Van den Berk Nurseries opted for trees with a minimum height of 15 metres. According to the nursery, this would keep the tree crown out of reach.
Trees for theming and biodiversity
The nursery said the right choice of trees is important in the attractions industry, as they contribute to the theming and biodiversity.
At Rotterdam Zoo’s giraffe enclosure, the Gleditsia provides a savannah-style environment despite the visitor attraction being located in a city.
Additionally, trees are a sustainable addition. Van den Berk said a mature tree can absorb around 24 kilograms of carbon dioxide annually. Rotterdam Zoo is home to more than 3,000 trees.
“Gleditsia, a tree species with an African look, was chosen. Knowing that giraffes like to nibble on anything green, Rotterdam Zoo knew they had to select a tree of impressive size. We chose one with a total height of no less than 15 metres, which would keep the crown out of reach of the curious giraffe’s neck,” said Thieu Pije, sales consultant at Van den Berk.
Van den Berk grows, sells and delivers trees to customers in 35 countries. It established Van den Berk UK Limited in 2019 to operate in the UK. In 2020, Van den Berk opened a UK nursery in Mirfield, West Yorkshire.
The company works alongside landscape architects, green contractors, project developers, and attractions and theme parks to create themed environments and green projects.
Van den Berk has supplied, grown and delivered trees for some of the world’s leading visitor attractions. It specialises in medium to very large trees and shrubs.
