Invader Species

Invader species, also known as alien invader plants;, are plants that originate from other countries and that have been introduced to South Africa through human activity. They have usually been imported as crops, for forestry, or for use in gardens.

There are far more alien invader species than most people realize! Pine trees, Blue Gum trees and Wattle were introduced for the timber and mining industry. Maize, wheat, sugarcane and potatoes were introduced to feed the growing population of South Africa. Other species were introduced for use in gardens because of their beauty.

In many cases these alien species have posed no problems; potatoes are unlikely to take over the country any time soon. Other species are less easy to contain. Pine trees, for example, spring up everywhere. Yet these species usually don't pose any real problems, because they tend to grow slowly and not very aggressively.

But there are also alien invader species that are harmful to local habitats. They grow quickly, they spread like wildfire and, worst of all, they outcompete and replace local species. Wherever they spring up, indigenous vegetation suffers and eventually disappears. If left unchecked, these alien invader plants will take over entirely, which means they are a severe threat to the indigenous species.

These are the invader species that the Munster Conservancy is concerned with. Where necessary we attempt to eradicate the invader species before they can do too much damage to natural vegetation. We also try to raise awareness about the problem, because many people have invader species growing in their gardens, unaware that they my spread further from there. In these cases we try to suggest indigenous alternative that can be planted in place of the invaders, so that we still can have beautiful gardens.

Alien Invader Project

Every month we select an "Invader of the Month" to raise awareness of the alien invader problem, and flyers are made with details on each species.