16/02/2016
According to biodiversity experts’ alien invasive plant called Campuloclinium macrocephalum popular known as Pompom is the biggest threat to vegetation, grass land and wetlands especially in Gauteng Province where the plant is highly visible.
The Working On Fire programme teams in De Wildt, Leeuwfontein, Suikerbos and Roodeplaat are vigorously fighting pompom because it causes extinction of indigenous plants eventually leading to soil erosion.
The teams have been hard at work removing this detrimental invasive alien plant.
The nature reserves and farms are highly affected by this alien plant in the province.
‘‘Since the beginning of the year our teams have been focusing on removing the Pompom in the Nature Reserve. My work is to apply herbicide after my colleagues have cut off the flowers of the Pompom,’’ said Thulani Nkosi a fire fighter based at Roodeplaat team and a participant trained to identify and remove alien invasive plants from Mhlanga area.
He said that it is worth fighting the alien plant in the Nature Reserve because of the love for the environment specially wetlands within the reserves.
‘‘We are guided by Biodiversity officers of the Roodeplaat Nature Reserve on the methods of removing the alien plants,’’ he said.
He said alien plant consumes a lot of water in wetlands, extinct indigenous plants and kill grass land.
‘’As Working on Fire team in Roodeplaat, we are intensifying our efforts to make the nature reserve free from any form of alien invasive plants. This is normally done where we help nature reserve with removal of all types of alien invasive plants during off fire season,’’ he said.
Mr Nkosi said their primary mandate is to help with fire breaks, grass slashing and fire suppression before and during fire season.
‘’Because we are patriotic enough we go extra mile to safeguard our environment from these alien invasive plants or else we stand chance to loss the flora and fauna in the reserves. Pompom has potential to take over Wetlands. We can’t let that happen under our guarrd. We advised that people should not plant the elien plant in their yards or farms because it looks like a nice flower,’’ he said.
He further said that Pompom is unpalatable to livestock and it spreads rapidly when it is dry.
‘’Biodiversity Officer in the reserve advised us not to burn it because it enjoys fire when you burn it multiplies and spread fast. We therefore cut it instead and wrap it in big plastic bags for months,’’ explained Mr Nkosi.
Working on Fire’s General Manager in Gauteng Province, Mr Stephen Boyes, confirmed a commitment of the province on biodiversity management through removing invasive alien plants.
‘’Our firefighters are instrumental in protecting the environment,’’ he said.
Mr Parapara Makgahlela is the Gauteng Provincial Communication Officer for Working 0n Fire