Alien vegetation is not environment’s enemy

Exotic plants don’t justify a witchhunt, writes from Sunningdale Ridge

BMartin Zagnoev

efore the effects of alien vegetation were known, many well-meaning people thought that they were improving the environment by planting exotic plants and trees. Local flora were often considered to be weeds. Fortunately that has now changed and there has been a reversal in this practice since we now know that some of these alien plants are invasive.

But before we are tempted to become despondent about the proliferation of invasive flora, let’s take another look at the situation.

Almost all of the fruits and vegetables grown are foreign. Without mealies and wheat there would be no mealie meal or bread and mass starvation would ensue.

South Africa is a major exporter of fruit and is the second largest exporter of citrus in the world. Without these farms there would be massive unemployment and a dramatic loss of foreign earnings.

And, of course, the famed vineyards around Stellenbosch would have to be removed, destroying our world-leading wine industry!

While the Australian eucalyptus trees do soak up lots of water, they provide the nectar to sustain the bees which pollinate our crops. Without their help the farming sector would be doomed.

Kikuyu, which adorns our gardens, city parks and sports fields, is also a foreign invasive plant.

Global warming is a much greater threat to our survival. Since trees are nature’s air conditioners, it would be better to plant indigenous ones before rushing to remove foreign ones.