The meeting will take place on Thursday 25 April from 08:30 at the Far Hills Country Hotel.
Cobus Meiring, initiative coordinator, says George landowners are generally proud custodians of their properties and the control and eradication of invasive alien plants are increasingly being regarded as a top priority. "Generally speaking, these days George landowners seem to have a better understanding of the benefit in rehabilitating their land to natural vegetation and we are convinced that with enough support it will become the norm. For example, we know that not so long ago recycling was something done elsewhere, but not in George and these days it is something George citizens proudly commit to."
Following an ongoing initiative spearheaded by George Municipality, the George Herald, Natural Bridge Communications and Far Hills Country Hotel, Meiring and his colleagues are inundated with calls from landowners supporting the cause. "Surprisingly, we also receive a lot of correspondence from landowners complaining that they are spending small fortunes to clear their properties of invasive alien plants, only to have next door neighbours turning a blind eye and, in the process, drive down the appeal of country-side living and in some instances even property values."
George landowners who want to participate and attend the meeting are encouraged to contact Heid-rose Hossain at Working for Water (044 801 9111). Landowners can also call Far Hills Country Hotel and RSVP with reception on 044 889 0120.
The programme for the event:
- 8:30 Arrival: Tea and coffee
- 9:00 Welcome and introductions: Cobus Meiring (Natural Bridge Communications)
- 9: 05 Challenges for land owners dealing with invasive alien plants, George Municipality, Radie Loubser, George Municipality: Community Services
- 9:10 Broad objectives of the SCLI and launch of the Registered Participant process , Jakobus Vaas, Working for Water, George
- 9:20 Opening address: Scale and spread of invasive alien plant problem in the Southern Cape, Tiaan Pool, NMMU
- 9:40 Fire risks associated to invasive alien plants in George and surrounds, Paul Gerber (Southern Cape Fire Protection Association)
- 10:00 Experiences from private land owners, Bruce Jackson (Woodifields)
- 10: 10 Problems with non- participating land owners, Peter Henry (Victoria Heights)
- 10: 20 A business plan and methodology for controlling invasive alien plants, Tiaan Pool (NMMU)
- 10: 40 Tea and coffee
- 11: 00 Legal compliance on invasive alien plants, Wessel Wentzel (Working for Water), NDA Representative
- 11: 10 Areas of operation, Jakobus Vaas (Working for Water)
- 11: 20 Experiences of George Weed Forum, Melissa Mackay, Weed Forum
- 11: 30 Cape Nature involvement and assistance to SCLI, Benjamin Waltin (Cape Nature)
- 11: 40 Effects of invasive alien plants and global warming on George land owners, Tiaan Pool (NMMU)
- 11: 50 Effects of invasive alien plants on wetlands, fountains, streams and rivers, Japie Buckle (SANBI Working for Wetlands)
- 12: 00 Strategy on invasive alien plants in Eden, Vernon Gibbs- Halls (Eden District)
- 12: 10 Field visit briefing and field visit, Heinrich Neethling (Working for Water)
- 13: 00 Lunch and departure
