Gondwana Private Nature Reserve Conservation Officer, Joe Erasmus said this week: "A very large portion of our reserve is subject to invasive alien plants and we have no choice but to address the matter intensively and on an ongoing basis," adding his voice to the effort to control aliens and preserve bio-diversity.
He added "Gondwana has well over 500ha infested with wattle and you can imagine how large a piece of land that is, especially when it is of no value from a conservation point of view." Every hectare in the Garden Route cleared of invasive alien plants counts, not only from a bio-diversity point of view, but also water security, wetland conservation and the protection of all kinds of species running out of space to live.
SCLI welcomes Eskom and Sanral to the party
"In the effort to get invasive alien plants under control in the Garden Route, the SCLI invited Sanral (the South African National Roads Agency) and Eskom to join hands with us," says Cobus Meiring.
"Entities such as Sanral and Eskom generally take great care in ensuring their road reserves and servitudes are free of invasive alien plant species and we appreciate their efforts."
Following a joint meeting in Knysna, both Sanral and Eskom will improve their efforts to curb the spread of aggressive emerging weeds such as madeira vine, lantana and pampas grass.
Through a series of articles, the SCLI, George Municipality , The George Herald, Cobus Meiring, Natural Bridge Communications and Far Hills Country Hotel wish to create a public platform for George landowners to increase awareness and promote practical efforts to rid George and surrounds of invasive alien plants on private land.
Gondwana Private Nature Reserve Conservation Officer, Joe Erasmus says invasive alien eradication efforts are partly funded by chopping wattle trees into firewood.
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