The City of Cape Town is ready to deal with an invasive beetle that poses a serious threat to trees in the metropole and surrounding areas. The City’s Recreation and Parks Department, together with the Invasive Species Unit, have put operational plans in place to deal with the polyphagous shot hole borer (PSHB) which has invaded and damaged thousands of trees in other parts of … [Read more...]
Lack of invasive plant management compounds Somerset West fires
“Landowners who have not managed invasive alien plants on their properties must be held accountable for that impact on the fires that have ravaged areas around Somerset West.” That is the view of Dr Guy Preston, Deputy Director-General in the Department of Environmental Affairs, responsible for the Working on Fire and Working for Water programmes. “We know that invasive … [Read more...]
Selling your property and the Invasive Species Regulations
Invasive Alien Plants (IAPs) are widely considered as a major threat to biodiversity, human livehoods and economic development. IAPs cost South Africa tens of billions of rand annually in lost agricultural productivity and resources spent on management. On 1 August 2014, the Minister of Environmental Affairs published the Alien and Invasive Species Regulations (“the … [Read more...]
Free our Chapman’s Peak
On Sunday a wonderful gathering of families with children and dogs met to challenge the proposal of a major office block set to be built on Chapman’s Peak, estimated to cost around R58 million. Robin Carlisle, the MEC for the WC graciously acknowledged the somewhat 2 thousand people gathered on the mountain, saying he had expected only 5 hundred. He said it was essential … [Read more...]
