Just when we thought Pom Pom weed must be Gauteng’s number 1 invader species for turning green grasslands pink, we read Joburg City Park’s account.
Silver wattle is most common in the City, so are black wattle, Australian Blackwood and Moth Catcher.
Barbara Creecy, the Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, said there are 32 new alien species that were either illegally or accidentally introduced. This is over the last decade, between 2013 and 2022.
This is slightly lower than the numbers seen for 2010–2019, which were an average of about four new species introduced per year.
The Minister launched the 3rd National Status of Biological Invasions and their Management in South Africa.
She said this phenomenon is not unique to South Africa, hence the collaboration with international scientists, at the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES), to specifically focus on Invasive Alien Species.
“Addressing the challenges posed by biological invasions requires a coordinated and collaborative effort. No single entity can tackle this issue alone. Government, academics, civil society organisations and communities must come together, pooling their knowledge, resources and expertise to develop effective prevention, early detection and control strategies,” said Creecy.
Firstly, new alien species continue to arrive in the country every year through several different pathways, with the rate of introduction remaining stable at around three new alien species per year.
Biological invasions are a major threat to South Africa’s water security, threaten sustainable agriculture, exacerbate wildfires, and have ongoing negative impacts on the country’s unique and globally important biodiversity.
Creecy also said “we must continue investing in research and innovation, supporting studies that enhance our understanding of invasive species dynamics to improve management strategies. The 3rd National Status report on Biological Invasions serves as a clarion call for action reminding us of the urgency of the situation and the imperative to act decisively.”
What emerged at the launch, is that the Bio-Invasion report, is a plan to halve invasive alien species by 2030. It will support the implementation of the White Paper on Conservation and Sustainable Use of South Africa’s Biodiversity.
Creecy said ongoing interventions are two-fold. Firstly, all legal introductions of new alien species require import permits, and these are issued only if the risks are demonstrated to be sufficiently low.
In addition, the new National Border Management Authority has committed to improve the prevention of illegal and accidental introductions.
Secondly, the South African government invested over 1.5 billion Rand to address biological invasions between 2020-2022; targeting priority areas, such as strategic water source areas, protected areas, and biodiversity hotspots.
Picture: Invasive species.org