Cape Town – The provincial government has launched the Ecological Investment Infrastructure Framework (EIIF) to address the risks of alien invasive species infestations and to ensure long-term water and climate resilience.
The EIIF is being developed as a flagship project that aims to facilitate the collaboration and co-ordination between all relevant sectors including CapeNature, national and provincial government departments, the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), academic institutions, landscape initiatives, the private sector and NGOs.
The framework will serve as a key informant to promote and co-ordinate conservation, restoration and alien clearing activities while delivering goods and services (eg water), jobs and safe living conditions.
Environmental Affairs, Development Planning and Local Government MEC Anton Bredell said alien invasive species had a detrimental impact on water catchment areas and therefore the programme to tackle the problem was vitally important.
“We are spending millions every year across the province in ongoing efforts to tackle the scourge. The Western Cape biodiversity entity CapeNature has spent R39.4m over the past four years in tackling the problem of alien vegetation infestations on CapeNature managed land.
"Clearing alien vegetation yields greater water security and environmental sustainability. It’s been estimated that alien clearing in the catchments in the upper Berg River, releases up to 26.5 million cubic meters of additional water per year into the Western Cape river system. The work will continue despite the implications of continuing budget cuts from national treasury to provincial level.”
Environmental Affairs and Development Planning spokesperson Rudolf van Jaarsveldt said the integrity of the province’s ecological infrastructure was severely threatened due to the infestation of alien invasive species.
“Alien invasive species significantly impact climate change, air and water quality as well as vulnerability to disasters such as wildfires, floods and drought.
"As a result of the infestations in the province’s catchment regions, research has shown significant current water losses due to the impacts of alien invasive plants.
"It is estimated that the Western Cape Water Supply System (WCWSS) currently loses about ±38 million m3/annum through these impacts (equivalent to the capacity of Wemmershoek Dam),” said Van Jaarsveld.
This week marks the start of National Alien Invasive Species week from October 7-11. The department’s Director for Biodiversity and Coastal Management, Marlene Laros, said the volume of water lost could increase, if efforts to clear invasive alien plants were stopped.
“Our department is proud to be launching the Western Cape EIIF as a transversal and multi stakeholder initiative to systematically manage the climate and water risks of inadequate investment into ecological infrastructure.
"We’ve seen an increase in expenditure on disaster management, as a result of wildfires and the drought. Therefore, co-ordinated and proactive investment in ecological infrastructure makes sound economic sense.”