KNYSNA NEWS - 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.
In many instances, foliar spray of herbicide is the only way out for landowners and managers, in their efforts to control and eradicate alien plants.
Like hand-pulling, the application of herbicide also has a window of opportunity, as once plants are growing towards the 2m mark, they become a different challenge altogether, and are no longer viable to spray (cost effectively) with 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.
There is also grave concern from 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.
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 and 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 environmental and human risk.
As herbicide products are generally quite expensive, 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).
Brenton, Rheenendal training session
A training session for landowners in these areas was recently arranged by the Garden Route Rebuild Initiative (GRRI) to prepare them for dealing with the aggressive regrowth of invasive alien plants on their properties.
* SCLI is a public platform for landowners and managers with an interest in the control and eradication of invasive alien plants.
More info: www.scli.org.za
Read a related article: Team taught to kill invasive plants
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