Simple Strategies For Restoring Productive Veld

Each year, clearing invasive alien plants costs South African farmers thousands.

- Nicky McLeod, Environmental and Rural Solutions

Not only do these plants threaten the productivity of veld for grazing, but they also use massive amounts of water, which puts extra strain on water resources that are already under pressure.

In 2002, a group of ecological and economic experts estimated that, by 2020, it would cost R4 000/ha to clear wattle invasions. By 2019, these costs had already added up to R10 000/ha, depending on terrain and invasion density. However, one should bear in mind that the clearing of these plants alone does not control their regrowth. The actual issues are vigorous coppicing and seed bank resilience.

What we know about wattle

Settler farmers introduced wattle in the 1800s to provide firewood and building material across Southern Africa’s veld. Although they provide a poverty buffer for thousands of rural families, they pose a threat to the very veld upon which these families rely.

After more than 25 years of tackling invasive alien plants across South Africa the Working for Water programme has learned some lessons:

• Wattle is very expensive to control, placing a large cost burden on landowners.

• Seed banks remain viable for decades and fire stimulates germination.

• Landowners and land rights holders need assistance to perform costly clearing activities, which include wages, tools, herbicides, supervision and transport.

• It is difficult to access available funding due to burdensome administrative requirements and gaps in the cash flow of state departments, which hamper follow-up operations to control regrowth.