This past weekend has been a busy one for Kei Mouth residents and visitors. The weekend kicked off on Friday afternoon with KMRRA and KWAG showing the features of the newly completed fire trailer to interested passersby. This was followed up with a full demonstration and display on Saturday morning. Not to mention the delicious boerewors rolls that were on sale! The morning turned out to be a great success with all the wors sold out by 11:30. Th team raised close to R 3 000 from Boerewors sales. There were also some generous cash donations received. Thank you to all the volunteers who gave up their time in support of this very worthy cause. A BIG THANK YOU to all who came to support and view the trailer! We really do live in a special place with an incredibly supportive community.
The Kei Mouth Park Run started again at 08:00 on Saturday morning. This was the first Park Run in over a year, and was well supported with more than 30 participants coming from as far as Stutterheim and Cathcart to join in the fun. Thank you to the Kei Mouth Park Run volunteers who spent a very physical week clearing the course. This was a mammoth task, as the bush was very overgrown and the grass as tall as some of the men. Well done to the team for getting the course ready in time. The Park Run takes place every Saturday from 08:00, starting at the Kei Mouth Country Club.
Thank you to Kayleigh Manthe for the action shots!
The Kei Mouth Country Club also saw some action later in the day with their closed (for members only) Golf Championship taking place. There was a full field and a great time was had by all.
Congratulations to winner, Johnson Nocanda, who shot a 76.
Johnson Nocanda with Club Captain Ian Forword
Saturday afternoon was also taken up by the bowls club having their regular Saturday get together. This was followed by the monthly Rib & Steak evening.
People may think of Kei Mouth as a Sleepy hollow,- it is hard to say that with all the activity taking place over the weekend! It’s the place to be, so when you consider your next weekend away, why not include Kei Mouth as one of your places to escape. The choice is yours, get involved in one of the many activities on offer, or just relax and take long walks on the beach, where even over a busy weekend, you will feel like you almost have the place to yourself.
The topic of Invasive Alien Plant (IAP) removal in Kei Mouth is often at the fore of discussions on the Kei Mouth Chat Group. There are many opinions and suggestions put forward on this forum. Kei Mouth Ratepayers and Residents’ Association (KMRRA), along with the Kei Revival Group and the WESSA Green Coast Committee have been hard at work in the background, investigating the issue and formulating a plan to deal with IAP management in our village. It is imperative that we have a plan in place with an agreed and co-ordinated effort to manage and control IAP’s. Dr Deborah Robertson-Andersson has formulated a comprehensive document in this regard. The information below highlights some important aspects of the document. The full document can be accessed here.
The impacts of invasive alien plant species on terrestrial and freshwater ecosystems in South Africa have been widely researched and well documented. Alien plants species are considered among the principal threats to biodiversity in South Africa. However, these impacts are not restricted to biodiversity loss alone, but also extend to the goods and services that healthy, intact ecosystems are able to provide.
The increased biomass resulting from invasion by alien woody species increases fire risk and results in hotter, more dangerous fires. These hotter fires destroy natural seed banks and increase water repellence in soils, reducing infiltration and increasing erosion. This, in turn, gives rise to increased flooding and consequently damage to property and infrastructure. The density of alien plant species also reduces recreational opportunities by eliminating access.
Another important ramification of invasion by large woody species such as the Australian wattles is that they alter the quantity and quality of water in catchment areas. These species have higher transpiration rates than the indigenous flora. This means, less water in the soil, reduced streamflow, and reduced yields from dams. Water security is becoming increasingly uncertain due to climate change thus increasing the necessity of clearing catchment areas of alien plant invasions.
What are we aiming to achieve through this document?
Provide guidance on the removal of existing alien invasive species in Kei Mouth
Establish a plan to ensure that alien invasive plants do not become established
Establish a plan to ensure that alien invasive species do not become dominant in all or part of the landscape
To implement a monitoring programme to:
detect the presence of alien plant species
monitor the success of the alien invasive eradication measures.
How do we go about achieving this?
The South African Government has listed steps to be undertaken when implementing an IAP control and management plan. In line with the Government’s listed steps, KMRRA, and Kei Mouth WESSA Green Coast are proposing to follow the steps when formulating the management plan.
Step 1:
Carry out a site assessment to establish the current situation
Step 2:
Set objectives based on resources available and priorities
Step 3:
Develop and implement and action plan to achieve objectives
Step 4:
Monitor Performance and change actions as necessary
Where are we in terms of the above steps?
Carry out a site assessment
To date no formal assessment of the the current situation has been implemented. It is agreed that we do have an IAP problem in Kei Mouth, but without a formal assessment, we are unable to establish the ‘full picture’. To carry out a formal assessment we would need a team of interested individuals to assist with conducting a comprehensive mapping exercise of the area.You can contact us by sending an email to ratepayers@keimouth.co.za. Once this information is available, it will be possible to set objectives, develop a plan, implement the plan and thereafter monitor the plan.
Without knowing what the current situation is, it is impossible to establish a formal plan. The efforts of well-meaning individuals, spraying and cutting down trees where they believe is appropriate, may not assist in achieving the objectives of the management plan, and may in fact cause further unintended negative consequences such as a fire hazard.
The way forward for Kei Mouth
The KMRRA would like to acknowledge the efforts by private individuals in IAP clearing and hope to continue to work with passionate individuals following a formal management plan. This process, however, needs to be formalised for a number of reasons, namely:
Kei Mouth is part of the WESSA Green Coast which stipulates that we need an IAP control plan
Great Kei Municipality Invasive Control Plan is not accessible and has not met the requirements for the Working for Water Programme and government Invasive Control Plans.
The reality is that we are not expecting to receive any assistance from Great Kei Municipality in this regard. with this in mind:
We would like to apply for funding from Working for Water and other sources of funding that individuals may be to assist us in souring.Please contact ratepayers@keimouth.co.za if you are able to assist!
In order to access / leverage funding:
We need to have a targeted approach with well-defined goals.
The KMRRA has commissioned this document as part of a project to be undertaken by the WESSA Green Coast and the Kei Mouth Revival Group. A sub-committee for alien removal falls under KMRRA.
The sub-committee will:
Agree on the land parcel to be monitored and controlled.
Arrange for an initial survey of the village to fill in missing data and identify priority areas and species.
Conduct follow-up surveys every six months
Report on progress to KMRRA, with the report included in the annual WESSA Green Coast report, which forms part of Kei Mouth’s annual WESSA Green Coast Application.
How can I help?
There are many ways that individuals can help with establishing and implementing a formal IAP Monitoring and Control Plan.
Donate your time to assist with the initial survey of the village.
We will provide the necessary training needed to conduct the survey
Donate your time, staff or other resources needed for us to implement the monitoring and control plan.
Assist us with procuring funding for the Kei Mouth IAP Monitoring and Control Programme
In your own yard:
Educate yourself about the plants in your garden-
Identify the Invasive Alien Plants
Establish which category they belong to
Eratidate that that are in category 1a and 1b
Replace Invasive Alien Plants with Indigenous Species
Check that any you plants going into your garden are not on the Invasive Species list.
Refer to books and the internet for info.
Where can I find more info?
KMRRA, along with the Kei Mouth WESSA Green Coast is committed to providing the community with information. We will be running a series called “Know your Kei Country Aliens” where we will be regularly publishing information on Invasive Alien Plants. This series will include Invasive Species found in Kei Country, how to identify them and how to get rid of them.
Read the first article in this series, which gives a general introduction to Invasive Alien Species, what the law says and our first example of a Kei Country Invasive Alien Plant- The well-known Lantana.
Read the full version of the KMRRA Alien Invasive Management document for detailed information on Invasive Alien Management in Kei Mouth. This document also includes a list of known invasive species in Kei Country.
A great resource is a book entitled “Problem Plants and Alien Weeds of South Africa“, by Clive Bromilow.
Cost: R 410,00 delivered to Kei Mouth. (Retail Price usually R 450)
(Contact Monica Maroun on admin@keicountry.com to order your copy and have it delivered to Kei Mouth Free of Charge.
Chat to Monica about cost of delivery to elsewhere in South Africa.)
An invasive alien invader species is a species that is not from our country. They are called exotic, non-native or of foreign origin. This refers to any plant or animal species that has been introduced to South Africa from a different country.
The introduction of exotic species to countries or new areas has been happening for millenia. With the advent of global travel, ships carrying animals, food and people to different parts of the world have accelerated this. Over the past 500 years, there has been an explosion of Invasive Alien Species across the globe. A well documented consequence of this is the Small Pox pandemic that began spreading in the 6th century when increased trade with China and Korea took Smallpox to Japan. Historians have been able to trace the global spread of Smallpox to the growth of civilizations and exploration.
The rapid spread of COVId-19 and resulting global pandemic can be attributed to the planet being a GLobal Village with the movement of people across the globe nowadays being more than ever.
Invasive Alien plants and animals reach our shores from foreign countries through several mechanisms
Some”hitch a ride”. The invasive alien species is present in food, other organic materials and the the clothing of people. These are unsuspectingly brought to a new country by a visitor. The TV series “Border Control” shows how serious countries like Australia are about keeping Invasive Aliens out of their country.
People also “import” aliens on purpose. It is said that the weed Lantana was brought to South Africa and Kei Country by ladies who thought it was a pretty plant and cultivated it in their gardens.
Many Alien Invasive plants have been introduced to countries on purpose for commercial use. A prominent example of this in South Africa is the deliberate introduction of pine and black wattle for commercial use.
Some plants were introduced because they were erroneously thought to do a better job than the indigenous species. An example of this in the Eastern Cape is the introduction of Port Jackson to stabilise coastal dunes.
Why are Invasive Alien Species a problem?
Many Invasive Alien Species were introduced to South Africa for a purpose. These plants and animals were introduced without their natural predators, and when they ‘escaped’ into our natural habitats they began to threaten the natural plant and animal species.
According to Clive Brimelow, author of Problem plants and alien weeds in South Africa, “The spread of exotics or biological pollution, is one of the greatest threats to the earth’s biological diversity, and as a threat of extinction, bio-invasion may rank just behind habitat loss, which covers almost any physical disruption of existing habitats.
Invasive alien plants compete with natural vegetation for water and space, often out-competing natural vegetation. Without natural predators to keep their numbers in check, they reproduce and spread quickly. They often take up more water than the surroudning natural vegetation. The result of this is that more alien plants grow, and fewer indigenous plants are able to to grow. This results in a disrution and weakening of the ecosystem, with the indigenous animals no longer being able to rely on the plants they have evolve with over millenia for food also disappearing. The final result of this is a loss of biodiversity and a depletion of water resources.
The invasive plants often form dense stands of the same species,representing a high fuel load for veld fires. This unnaturally high fuel load leads to extremely hot veld fires, that in turn damage the structure of the soil.
What is being done about the problem?
The first efforts to control and eradicate invasive alien species in South Africa began with the fight to bring the prickly pear’s “scourge to agriculture” under control in the Eastern Cape, way back in 1906. Efforts to eradicate and control invasive alien species have been ongoing ever since. It is estimated that Invasive Alien Plants have become established in over 10 million hectares of land in South Africa, and control efforts cost the country more than R 600 million a year.
There is now legislation governing the introduction and control of invasive species in South Africa. The Department of Environmental Affairs manages Invasive Alien Species under the National Environment Biodiversity Act (NEMBA) 10 of 2004. This Act aims to provide the framework, norms and standards for the conservation, sustainable use, and equitable benefit-sharing of South Africa’s biological resources. Alien plants and animals are placed into three categories depending on the severity of their effect on the natural environment.
On the 1st of August 2014, the Minister of Environmental Affairs published the Alien Invasive Species regulation. This regulation listed a total of 559 alien species as invasive in South Africa and 560 more species were listed as prohibited and may not be introduced into South Africa. The regulation places invasive alien species into the four categories below.
Category 1a:
Invasive species requiring compulsary control
These are prohibited plants that must be eradicated.
These plants serve no economic purpose and possess characteristics that are harmful to humans, animals and the environment.
These plants need, by law, to be eradicated from the environment
Category 1b:
Invasive species requiring compulsory control as part of an invasive species control programme
Remove and destroy.
These plants are deemed to have such a high invasive potential that infestations can qualify to be placed under government sponsored invasive speicies management programmes.
Category 2:
Declared invader plants with a commercial or utility value
These are ‘invaders’ with certain useful qualities, such as commercial for forestry, animal fodder, soil stabilisation etc.
These plants are allowed in demarcated areas under controlled conditions and in biocontrol reserves.
Category 3:
Mostly ornamental plants
These are plants that are currently growing in or have escaped from areas such as gardens, but are proven invaders.
No further planting is allowed, nor trade in propagative material.
Existing plants may remain, but must be prevented from spreading.
The alien invasive species Regulation also stipulates that “Organs of state in all spheres of government, including all municipalities, draw up an “Invasive Species Monitoring Control and Eradication Plan for land under their control.”
The Kei Mouth Ratepayers and Residents’ Association (KMRRA) Alien Invasive Management document elaborates on the steps taken by Great Kei Municipality to put a plan in place.
What can I do?
We each have a responsibility to preventing the spread of Invasive Alien Species. We can do this by:
Plant indigenous species from this area
Confirm that new plants in your garden are not invasive
Remove invasives and replace with indigenous species
How do I know if a plant is an alien invasive species?
We will be publishing a weekly series called “Know your Kei Country Aliens” The weekly series will highlight an invasive species in Kie Country, giving a bit of background to the history of the species in South Africa, how to identify it, what potential threats it poses to the environment, humans and animals, and how to control and eradicate the species.
There have been several books written on this topic. The book “Problem Plants and Alien Weeds of South Africa”, written by Clive Bromilow has become “an indispensable guide for anyone interested in knowing how to recognise, understand and control troublesome plants.”
Cost: R 410,00 delivered to Kei Mouth. (Retail Price usually R 450)
(Contact Monica Maroun on admin@keicountry.com to order your copy and have it delivered to Kei Mouth Free of Charge.
Chat to Monica about cost of delivery to elsewhere in South Africa.)
Spend the morning with us exploring the beaches and rocks on the Wild Coast. We cross the Kei River on the ferry then spend the morning exploring the beaches and rocks. We will be looking for anything interesting that might be washed up on the beach or lurking in a rock pool. What will we find? Our knowledgeable guides will tell you about all the interesting things that we see. Our resident Marine Biologist will be with us to give us even more fascinating insights.
Bring a packed lunch. we will find a spot to relax for a bit, and if there is a safe rock pool around we can splash about in the pool. One of our facilitators is a qualified life guard, so we know that we are in safe hands!
Spend the morning with us exploring the beaches and rocks on the Wild Coast. We cross the Kei River on the ferry then spend the morning exploring the beaches and rocks. We will be looking for anything interesting that might be washed up on the beach or lurking in a rock pool. What will we find? Our knowledgeable guides will tell you about all the interesting things that we see. Our resident Marine Biologist will be with us to give us even more fascinating insights.
Bring a packed lunch. we will find a spot to relax for a bit, and if there is a safe rock pool around we can splash about in the pool. One of our facilitators is a qualified life guard, so we know that we are in safe hands!
Have fun exploring the Morgan Bay Estuary on a Kayak. Spend 2 hours kayaking on the Morgan Bay estuary with our local kayak guide Dylan. Suitable for all school-going ages and skill levels. The trip takes about 3 hours in total- including getting there and getting back.
Have fun exploring the Morgan Bay Estuary on a Kayak. Spend 2 hours kayaking on the Morgan Bay estuary with our local kayak guide Dylan. Suitable for all school-going ages and skill levels. The trip takes about 3 hours in total- including getting there and getting back.
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