Politics

Environmental Issues of Cape Town

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Urban Forest Protection Group CC

Fortunately not everyone in South Africa is xenophobic as the so-called conservationists.

This is what Ronnie Kasrils, former Minister of Water Affairs and Forestry, has to say about "Aliens" :

Jacaranda - Xenophobia in the name of Environment Management?

Ronnie Kasrils MP
 

The phrase "alien invasive plant" has become established jargon among some environmentalists in South Africa recently. It has become a phrase usually expressed with intonations of voice that communicate disgust and rejection, in fact phobia - a fear or hatred of that which is foreign. By definition invader plants are from foreign origins. These are the plants that evolved elsewhere on earth where the climatic and soil conditions correspond to the new territories they invade and where they displace indigenous plant communities. Invader plants are extremely successful in their new territories particularly because their natural enemies are absent. The phrase "alien invasive plant" however propagates a very misleading perception that all plants from foreign origins are invasive. Most certainly that is not true. Usually environmentalists would recommend the planting of indigenous plants instead of exotics, or the so-called "alien invasives". Within this context indigenous refers to plants that occur naturally within the political boundaries of the country. This is a view that one would find difficult to defend scientifically. People should be clear that only humans are aware of political boundaries. For the rest of the living world, in particular for plants, boundaries are defined by the conditions to which they are adapted and their ability to reach suitable habitats. For this purpose plants have adapted strategies for seed dispersal, seed survival and so on. The problem, from an environmental point of view, arises when natural migration of a species gets a helping human hand. Taking the well known ecological truth of species migration into the debate about what is indigenous (or alien for that matter), one can then ask the question whether a Jacaranda tree that grows in Pretoria is all that more alien than a Yellowwood growing in this same city which would depend on the goodwill of humans to provide it with an adequate perennial water supply, through sprinkler irrigation to prevent its otherwise natural demise? According to available information, the Jacaranda first struck root in South African soil in 1888 when two trees were planted at a school in Arcadia. The first seed was imported by James Clarke and from the first batch of seedlings, trees were planted in Koch Street, now known as Bosman Street, Pretoria. Ultimately the Jacaranda became so popular and widely planted that Pretoria became known as the Jacaranda City. It is estimated that some 55 000 Jacaranda trees occur within Pretoria. Johannesburg inhabitants argue that the Jacarandas in their city are more numerous and beautiful. Jacaranda mimosifolia is a native to north-eastern Argentina where it occurs mainly along rivers in warmer-temperate sub-humid areas. It is deciduous. Here in South Africa the tree has adapted well to warm parts of the country. In frost prone areas it only survives where protection is provided during winter, until it is well established. It is very hardy to drought, surviving well in the northern and north-western parts of the country without much need for care and maintenance. Apart from its popularity as an ornamental tree, Jacaranda also yields an attractive light coloured timber that works well and can be used for cabinet making and office furniture. The Jacaranda is cultivated throughout South Africa, from Cape Town to the North with the exception of the very cold central parts of the country where it doesn't survive. Jacaranda propagates itself in nature in the warm humid regions, such as the Lowveld of the Northern Province and Mpumalanga. In these areas the species can be undesirable. It is, however, very popular amongst local people not only for ornamental purposes, but also for shade. Its steady growth, an acceptance of a range of soil types, combined with the ease of propagation, probably adds to its popularity. In terms of water use it is not possible to say whether Jacaranda consumes more water than comparable South African trees. Research to quantify accurately the water use of this species has not been done on any substantial scale, due to its fairly low importance as a commercial timber tree. It is, however, generally known that deciduous trees are much less demanding in their water needs than their evergreen counterparts particularly during the wintertime when water reserves in the summer rainfall areas are stressed. The notion that exotic trees use more water than indigenous trees is also a sweeping generalization that is not based purely on scientific evidence. Sufficient research hasn't been done to substantiate this assumption. Non-South African plants, like the Jacaranda, have enriched this country. They provided resources for human benefit for a century or more. We will be a lot poorer without these non-native resources, and our environment, particularly the urban areas, will come under further pressure if all of these are to be removed. In an era where human demands on the environment and environmental resources are so enormous and put much stress on the natural conditions under which these natural systems became established, one has to look at exotic plants with a balanced perspective. On the one hand it is necessary to recognize their origins, their impact on water resources and their negative impact on other species. This in turn, needs to be balanced with the benefits people derive from these plants, and the protection they provide. This they definitely do, in many parts of our country. We should protect our water sources and manage the trees we introduced from other parts of the world for the best benefit of the environment and the people of South Africa. It would be appropriate, in natural areas, to maintain the natural character and sense of place by controlling exotic vegetation, including those indigenous species that were introduced from elsewhere in this country. Populated areas, in particular the urban environment, are areas where the character of the landscape has been transformed permanently and where natural systems have been altered. These areas must be developed to provide for the human needs of everyday living. Extreme purist approaches to the environment in these areas may contribute very little to the dignity of people, who have a desire to live in an aesthetically pleasing environment. The Jacaranda trees of Pretoria serve as an example. The Jacaranda City will therefore remain for many years to come. The Jacarandas are part of South Africa's heritage. This article was originally published in Green & Gold, October 2001.

Guy Preston: " It has been pretty effective. Working for Water has got a budget this year of about $US50-million, which translated into our currency makes it a considerable amount of money. It is the biggest conservation program that's running in Africa. It employs 18,000 people, it has 350-odd
projects across the country, along with some supplementary programs that we have on fire, called the Working on Fire program, and on wetlands, called the Working for Wetlands program."

Please imagine how many trees they could have planted with that amount of money ! If they want to employ people let them plant trees. Everywhere else in Africa they plant trees to stop desertification, only this self-declared expert believes that forests are consuming more water than they generate by keeping soil temperatures low, evaporation of water through their leaves and the forest´s sponge effect :

Senegal Mulls "Green Wall" to Stop Desert Advance“Green Wall” to stop Gobi desert in Mongolia

Gum arabic to stop desert spread