ENVIRONMENTAL NEWS - The Garden Route is facing an environmental crisis of alarming proportions, according to veteran environmental manager Dr Guy Preston, who recently visited the region following a series of extreme weather events.
Expert raises alarm over invasive alien plants
“After seeing conditions on the ground, Preston expressed deep concern at the extent of invasive alien plants (IAPs), describing their prevalence in the Garden Route as among the worst in the country,” says Cobus Meiring of the Garden Route Environmental Forum (GREF).
Preston’s warning carries particular weight given his extensive experience in managing South Africa’s invasive alien plant problem.
Preston's role in Working for Water
Dr Preston is renowned for spearheading South Africa’s ambitious invasive alien plant control programme.
As former Director of Natural Resource Management Programmes in the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and Environmental Affairs, he was instrumental in establishing and driving the Working for Water, Working for Wetlands and Working on Fire programmes.
The initiatives became internationally recognised for combining environmental restoration with job creation and skills development.
At their peak, the combined budgets for these programmes ran into billions of rand and supported thousands of jobs across South Africa.
Invasive vegetation poses growing environmental threat
During his tour of the Garden Route, Preston highlighted the enormous risks posed by the unchecked spread of invasive vegetation.
The problem, he stressed, extends far beyond the loss of indigenous plants and biodiversity.
Invasive alien plants can place additional pressure on water resources, alter natural ecosystems and threaten the resilience of landscapes already affected by extreme weather events.
The extent of the problem in the Garden Route has raised renewed concerns about the need for coordinated and sustained efforts to control invasive species and protect the region’s unique natural environment.
Call for urgent action
With the Garden Route already facing increasing environmental pressures, the warning highlights the need for effective invasive alien plant management and long-term restoration efforts.
Further details on the environmental crisis and the concerns raised during Dr Preston’s visit are available from the Garden Route District Municipality.
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