Tackle invasive plants with WESSA
WESSA Eden has in recent weeks spent much time and effort creating awareness of alien invasive species and also pulled up sleeves to help eradicate the invasive plants threatening the natural environment. And with good reason.
This area is a unique spot where four biomes (Fynbos, Succulent Karoo, Albany Thicket and Forest) come together.
There are probably about 6 000 different indigenous plant species present here with new ones being discovered all the time.
The National Environmental Management Biodiversity Act (NEMBA) published on August 1, 2014 regulates the undesirable species. Invasive species are divided into four categories 1a, 1b 2 and 3 and the law requires property owners to check if any of these species are on their property.
If present, one needs to control them from jumping the garden fence (Category 1a) or explain why you should be granted a permit to keep them on your property (Category 1b).
If there is no reason why they should be on your property, the law requires the removal and destruction of these species in a responsible manner.
In June, ‘hacking’ groups arranged by WESSA Eden’s Ann Symons set out on two Sundays (June 14 and 21) to get rid of alien invasive plants in the environment.
The first outing saw the last of the seed-crop of pampas grass in a patch visible from the Garden Route Botanical Garden, removed and destroyed.
It will, however, take several years to completely eradicate all traces of the plant. On that Sunday, the ‘hackers’ also tested ring-barking a large well-established honey locust tree.
On the following outing, three ‘hackers’ visited an area near the Camfersdrift River and cleared a substantial area of invasive plants.
For more information on the ‘hacking groups, contact Symons at 079 214 7390 or 044 874 4915 or via email, biesiebos@gmail.com.
For the month of July only, residents can release a biocontrol agent against the invasive black wattle. Dasineura rubiformis is a midge that prevents black wattle from setting seed and it is fast becoming one of the most important ways to control black wattle.
It is hoped that the midge will become firmly established in the Southern Cape and residents are urged to collect some gall from the Garden Route Botanical Garden nursery. It is free and easy to use.
For more information, contact Pam Booth at 082 875 0342 or pam@edentoaddo.co.za, or Mare Collett at the Garden Route Botanical Garden at 044 874 1558 or info@botanicalgarden.org.za.