Application of herbicide to control invasive alien plants in the Plettenberg Bay/ Knysna burn scar
“The 2018 summer, following the 2017 Plettenberg Bay/ Knysna fires, brought with it high levels of invasive alien plant regrowth,” says Cobus Meiring of the Southern Cape Landowners Initiative (SCLI).
“At the outset, invasive plants can be hand-pulled by landowners. However, the scenario very quickly changes as the sheer volume of regrowth, and especially the rate of regrowth, overwhelms landowners having to deal with the problem and associated costs,” explains Meiring.
Once invasive alien plants reach anywhere between ankle and knee height, they are the ideal height for herbicide application.
Foliar spray of herbicide is in many instances the only way out for landowners and land managers, in their efforts to control and eradicate invasive alien plants. Like hand-pulling, the application of herbicide also has a window of opportunity, as once plants are growing towards the two-metre mark, they become a different proposition altogether, and no longer viable to spray (cost-effectively), with herbicide.
Many landowners and environmentalists question the use of herbicide
Many landowners are concerned that in applying herbicides, chances are that the environment may well suffer greater damage than allowing invasive alien plants to regrow and spread.
Grave concern also surrounds the local beekeepers around the fate of bees once herbicide is applied on weeds in areas where they forage for food.
The loss of eucalyptus trees, which is a primary source of food for the bees, is a serious concern. At the same time, conservationists claim that restoring large tracts of land back to Fynbos, rapidly changes the situation back to normal.
Training, in the use of herbicide application, is important
Manufacturers of herbicide, as well as those making use of the respective products, go to great lengths to point out that training in the use, as well as the effect of herbicide, is important.
Training procedures educate users on the properties of the various products, how to apply them with maximum effect, and how to reduce any environmental and human risk.
As herbicide products are generally quite expensive to apply, users must ensure that they follow instructions carefully, apply in the correct volumes, and apply the right product on the right plant under the appropriate conditions (e.g. not when it is raining).
Training session for Brenton and Rheenendal landowners
A training session for Rheenendal and Brenton landowners was arranged by the Garden Route Rebuild Initiative (GRRI) to prepare landowners in dealing with the aggressive regrowth of invasive alien plants on their properties.
SCLI is a public platform for landowners and land managers with an interest in the control and eradication of invasive alien plants.