Cape Town - National WeedBuster Week (held in early October) received a boost this year from the Anglican Archbishop of Cape Town, Thabo Makgoba, who, to mark the occasion, has authorised the removal of all invasive alien plants from the historic gardens around his residence, Bishopscourt.
As the youngest bishop to be elected Anglican Archbishop of Cape Town, Makgoba and his wife, Lungelwa, took up residence at Bishopscourt in 2007. While the glorious wisteria walk, formal fountains, terraced gardens and pool area remain highlights in the gardens at Bishopscourt, the stream that flows through the property, the terraced beds around the main lawn, and the perimeter shrubberies have become overgrown with invasive alien plants over time.
Over a past few months, Bishopscourt has worked closely with the Early Detection and Rapid Response invasive species team. Based at Kirstenbosch, the team’s operation is managed by the SA National Biodiversity Institute and is funded by the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism’s new environmental programmes division.
Experts identified the invasive species at Bishopscourt, and monitored gardeners during the removal of thickets of Port Jackson (Acacia saligna), pampas grass (Cortaderia selloana), Indian shot (Canna indica), lantana (Lantana camara), morning glory (Ipomoea indica), loquat (Eriobotrya japonica) and bugweed (Solanum mauritianum). Sword fern and ageratum were left behind, but are also
scheduled for removal.
Invasives and climate change:
Archbishop Makgoba is an outspoken environmentalist and chair of the Anglican Communion Environmental Network. While he has never written directly on invasive species, his views on climate change and the environment are well-documented.
Invasive species and climate change are a lethal combination for biodiversity. Under a changing climate scenario of erratic rainfall, rising temperatures or flash floods, invasive species quickly dominate an ecosystem. If allowed to flourish, invasive species have a devastating and destructive impact on water quality, soil health, estuary systems, health and food security.
They also increase soil erosion and the risk of wild fires.
“We in the faith communities know that climate change will be hugely damaging to both people and our planet,” says Makgoba. “We know too that it is not only an environmental, economic and social issue, but essentially a moral issue. It must therefore be solved through moral principles.”
The social implications for marginalised communities are also of great concern to the church.
“As the environment is harmed, so are the local communities who live there,” says Makgoba. “The impact is felt in terms of food production, of the availability of safe water, and of energy, in particular. The livelihoods of people may be changed forever. To this end, the Anglican Church supports the campaign to tread lightly and to leave a sustainable legacy.”
Jumping the garden fence:
As a role model for society, the archbishop’s aim to remove all invasive species from Bishopscourt sends out a strong message that gardeners can become environmentalists by simply removing invasive plants from their gardens.
Once an ornamental invasive species like red valerian (Centranthus ruber) has jumped the garden fence, the cost to society of removing the plants from nature rises exponentially.
This notwithstanding, the aim of the project in the Bishopscourt gardens was never to remove all alien plants. Of the estimated 9 000 exotic or alien plant species introduced to our country, only 198 are legally classified as invasive. Many alien species have cultural and historic value to the gardens, and a number of magnificent non-invasive alien species remain in the church’s historic gardens.
A spectacular rhododendron hybrid that is now a 3-metre high tree, flowers each spring on the edge of the lower lawns. An ancient wisteria climber covers the pergola and more than a dozen camellias are to be found across the garden, many of which were originally gifts to the resident archbishop. None of these magnificent alien plants is regarded as a threat to the environment.
The rehabilitation of the garden, and the planting up of areas where invasives have been removed, will continue throughout the summer. Beds of overgrown indigenous perennials will be replanted. - Weekend Argus