SANParks does great work in Wilderness
Landowners in the Southern Cape are increasingly making concerted efforts to clear their land of invasive alien plants, says Cobus Meiring of the Southern Cape Landowners Initiative (SCLI).
The recent devastating fires raging through the area highlighted the fact that invasive alien plants have a detrimental effect on the environment and pose a risk factor that is beyond belief. The problems with invasive plants do not end with fire; they pose similar risks to water security in many parts of the George municipal footprint, as well as to indigenous biodiversity.
A lot of attention is paid to eradicating the obvious and most visible invasive species, such as pines, black wattle, rooikrans and port jackson. These species are responsible for creating dense forests of biomass which serve as fuel for wildfires, drain catchments and rivers of fresh water, and edge out indigenous biodiversity.
However, invasive alien plants and trees are not restricted to the species mentioned. Madeira vine, lantana and bugweed are also making inroads into the remaining conservation areas.
Buffer zones
In their efforts to create buffer zones to protect the Garden Route National Park, SANParks are slowly but surely making a distinct difference on the Garden Route landscape. An example of the work that SANParks does, is now becoming visible as the eastern heads of Kaaimans Kloof is cleared of tall pines, which had been increasingly dotting the famous Kaaimans skyline. Perhaps not so visible, but equally important, is work conducted by SANParks along the Touw River in clearing Madeira vine.
Madeira vine is a very difficult invasive species to clear, as the roots have to be dug out, the entire plant placed in bags and burnt, in order to prevent them from sprouting where they are dumped.
The Southern Cape Landowners Initiative (SCLI) is a public platform for landowners and land managers who have an interest in the control and eradication of invasive alien plants. SCLI is supported by the Table Mountain Fund, an associated trust of WWF SA. Visit www.wwf.org.za for more information.
A lot of attention is paid to eradicating the obvious and most visible invasive species, such as pines, black wattle, rooikrans and port jackson.