​In early February, 14 beneficiaries, climbed the Langeberg mountain on the west side of the Grootvadersbosch Conservancy to do alien clearing. They were divided into two separate teams, called the Pine and Hakea Teams. The initiative is funded by landowners and the Department of Environmental Affairs Forestry and Fisheries, under the Natural Resource Management (NRM) programme. 

The teams were assigned equipment, which included sleeping bags and tents. The aim of their assignment was to remove the alien invasive trees (mainly hakea, pine and some black wattle) in a specific block, reflected in their contracts. The teams walked approximately 17km up the mountain, with an elevation gain of 480m to an altitude of 1145m. The first two blocks, covered 1157 hectares. The work was made more strenuous because they had to manoeuvre around with their overnight camping equipment. The participants have all received training to prepare them for the work.
​

​

​ 
The teams were camping for 4 nights in the mountains. They go up on a Mondays and descend on Fridays. The first two contracts stretch over 3 weeks in which they have to go up and camp in the mountains each week. Overall, the participants were eager to sleep out and tackle this important work.

Vernon Wessels and Wayne Fielies are the two contractors, each with the responsibility to guide their teams. Each team has the contractor to give overall instructions for the contract, as well as a ​supervisor in the field to look after the team. One of challenges that the team faced was that it was hot, other challenges included the danger of the terrain and the equipment that they must carry. For safety, they had to be able to communicate daily with the office to ensure that they remained safe in the field. Covid 19 regulations and protocols is also a challenge because of social distancing, as the teams needed to sleep in tents in the mountains. Regardless of the challenges, the two teams was very brave and committed to reach the top of the mountain and neither the weather nor anything else could stop them. The teams will complete the 2 contracts within 3 weeks and will be working on other contracts until the end of March.

''This is a great experience for me" said one of the team members when they needed to go back into the mountains. Overall, it seems that the teams are well organized and are motivated to complete this important work to protect our precious mountain environments.

We are combining our approach to alien clearing in the high mountain areas with the release of biocontrol agents. Biocontrol makes use of an invasive plant's naturally occurring enemies to reduce the invasive impact of the species. The approach reunites weeds with their naturally occuring enemies, thereby achieving more sustainable weed control. Biological control is best combined with other mechanisms (mechanical and chemical) to achieve a multi-pronged approach.

We are specifically concerned with the prevalence of silky hakea in the upper mountain areas. In October 2020, we received training on the applicability of different biological control on silky hakea. The training was completed by Dr Wood from the Agricultural Research Institute. We have now ordered the appropriate hakea fungus which will assist with control across the conservancy.​

The conservancy has several projects on the go at any one time, but the clearing of alien vegetation is the core of our operation. Our team has learnt a lot from many years of clearing alien invasive vegetation in our area. This experience has had its ups and downs, we have struggled, made mistakes, fretted, made great progress, and enjoyed successes. The longer we are in the field the better we become at our jobs and the more we learn and can share some our experiences. Below we have summarized 7 lessons learnt by our project manager, Ricardo Januarie. These lessons are derived from his experience in the Grootvadersbosch area and they may not apply to all contexts.

In our area, we implement our alien clearing by contracting the work through 8 small businesses who employ teams of 11 people that are trained in different tasks required for alien clearing operations. We have a long-standing relationship with these contractors, and we work closely with them to ensure the work meets the standards required by landowners and funders. The management of these contractors and their teams is Ricardo’s key responsibility, and these are some of his lessons from many years of working in the field.
  
#1 Follow the rules and read the instructions
As a conservancy, we understand that the correct application of herbicide is crucial for effective control of invasive plants and the protection of the natural environment. For that reason, Ricardo is a certified pest control office with the correct training to ensure correct application of herbicide. He frequently emphasizes the importance of following the instructions on herbicide bottles before application. Many people believe that using more herbicide is more likely to control the invasive plants but using the correct volume of herbicide (as stipulated on the label) is always best. Using the incorrect amount does more damage to the surrounding indigenous vegetation than to the targeted alien plants. Do your research beforehand and follow the instructions!
Some of his advice on herbicide application:

• Do not spray two hours before it rains, the herbicide will wash off and not be as effective.
• Herbicide does not work when the temperature is too hot or cold.
• Use clean water, follow the principle that if the dam water looks like tea with milk do not use it because the sediment in the water could negatively affect the effectiveness of the herbicide.
• Spray to the point of drip off (not too much not too little).
• Add a wetter to aid absorption. A wetter is an additive that improves coverage when using agricultural chemicals.

 
#2 Preparation is key
Contractors do not work on very rainy or excessively hot days. This is because extreme weather impacts on the effectiveness of herbicide and the potential health implications for workers who may be in very remote locations. Contractors must therefore assess impending weather conditions before going into the field. If weather extremes are forecasted, they need to adjust their operating times to work in the hours that are best suited. Monitoring weather conditions is essential to plan workdays and to ensure the number of working hours are met, and the task is completed on time.

Another important part of preparation relates to the equipment that is used. Equipment will inevitably fail; and teams need to carry extra parts and spare equipment to rectify make repairs. Issues with equipment can prevent the continuation of work and create a safety issue for those using the equipment. The team needs to be prepared to resolve any issues in field, firstly, to eliminate wasting time as machinery is necessary to complete many of their tasks, and, secondly, to the eliminate extra expense for the contractor, as they will then have to travel back to town from isolated areas to get repairs done on parts.

#3 Expect the unexpected
Weather forecasts are not always accurate, rain clouds may suddenly roll in, the temperature may soar, there could be an injury on site or equipment could break. A situation can change abruptly, the teams need to ensure that they are flexible, have assessed all risks in advance, and are ready to adapt to anything. Observing the second lesson (ensuring preparation) will assist in complying with this important lesson. 

#4 Teamwork
We work with 8 Contractors who supervise teams of 11 workers. The contracts they undertake stipulate the number of days that must be worked and the size of the area that must cleared, these figures are based on the assumption that all workers will be present for the duration of the contract. There is sometimes an issue with workers not arriving at work without notice or reason (especially on Mondays and Fridays). In order to complete the task, we require that workers be replaced by another worker who has received an induction and training beforehand, so that the contractor can fulfill the criteria within the same time. In cases of genuine illness, we work with the contractor to make sure that the worker at home is paid and the team is able to complete the task. This may require the team to work longer hours or to work more efficiently.

#5 Communication and support from landowners 
We believe that a key part of a successful clearing operation is that landowners are part of the process from the start and that they contribute to the planning and implementation. The law states that alien clearing is ultimately the landowner’s responsibility and so we need to have close communication with them from the start. In our operations, landowners contribute financially which means they are invested in the process. We need to work closely with them and this is not always easy. For example, during sowing and harvesting season landowners are especially busy in the fields and our contractors sometimes struggle to contact them. They sometimes need water to be supplied by the landowners to mix herbicide, this can be difficult when more important things are pressing on a farm. We also need landowners to inspect the work and sign off on its quality before contractors are paid.

The combination of gaining authorization from busy landowners, immense paperwork in the government contracting process and multiple reporting bodies often causes delays. Patience is important for everyone involved and good communication is a key part of the process.

#6 The benefits of burning 
Burning an area after clearing removes leftover flammable material. Burning also germinates alien species present in the seed bank. However, once they have started growing one must then remove them as quickly as possible. Fire is also important for certain vegetation types, such as fynbos. You can read more on this topic in two of our other blogs, namely the observed effects of burning alien invasive vegetation (Published on the 04/23/2020) and burning for us and the environment (Published on the 04/22/2020). The key aspect is to plan your alien clearing with fire management and a proper burning regime.
​

#7 Do it sooner rather than later
Follow-up of alien regrowth should take place as new growth begins, post initial clearing. Once an area has been cleared and burnt to stimulate germination the follow-up should take place. The longer you leave the regrowth the greater your costs, and the more time will be needed to clear. Below is a simple explanation of the various stages in growth:

1. Regrowth is not remarkably high. The plants are easy to spray. This process will be quick and easy, depending on the size of the area.
2. Growth has increased and now one needs hand tools to remove and you need to stack the material.
3. Growth has increased more, and one now needs a chainsaw (which is expensive to operate) and you need to stack the wood.
4. The trees are starting to mature but are tightly packed together. At this point it might be best to leave the trees and they will mature and eventually thin out. You can then move between the trees more easily and cut the large mature trees with chainsaws, but this is an even more expensive operation as you also need to remove large amounts of woody biomass.

Leaving the new growth for too long will make clearing more expensive and labour intensive. The Department of Environment recommends at least three follow-ups a year, but this can vary depending on the weather, vegetation, and frequency of fire. Timely follow up will dramatically decrease costs for the landowner. Ricardo recommends every 3-4 months and has found remarkable success in trying to follow this guideline. The moral of the story is to always ensure timeous follow-ups to reduce our clearing costs and to protect the environment!

​We look forward to hearing your comments on our experiences and sharing more lessons we have learnt with you! You can post your comments below or email us-see all our contacts details here. 

​One of the Conservancy’s main activities is the removal of alien invasive vegetation. We practice three main methods to eradicate them, these are chemical, physical, and biological approaches, either alone or in conjunction. While, we utilize all methods in our area, this blog will concentrate on mechanical and chemical removal and some effects that have been identified in relation to fire. These techniques commence with the mechanical removal of the vegetation with the aid of machinery, followed by the application of herbicide on the resulting stumps. The remains are stacked and burnt to decrease the fuel load in the event of a wildfire.

Two types of burn intensity can be employed, a cold or hot burn. Both come with their advantages and drawbacks. In our experience we have found hot fires often occur and are necessary when removing large fuel loads in an area that has been cleared of woody alien vegetation. The alternative would be to remove the material from the property, this option is costly, time consuming, and often impractical as clearing usually occurs in areas that are inaccessible to vehicles.

However, there are disadvantages to hot burns. One of our landowners, Keith Moodie, observed the impacts of a hot burn on the rejuvenation of forest vegetation and shared some images from his experience. He hypothesised that a hot burn reduces subsequent regrowth of vegetation, damages the seed bank and the resulting biodiversity. This applies in areas that were originally natural forest. This concept is illustrated in the recovery of his land in these images. 

​The area that endured a hot burn was dominated by grass and Rhus species (Family Anacardiaceae), the unburnt land saw a variety of tree species growing through the unburnt wattle stacks. He acknowledges that the follow up herbicide application is often more challenging through the stacks of wattle but believes that fewer follow ups would be necessary if left unburnt.

An article written by (Holmes et al, 2000) corresponds with Keith’s observations. The article describes the technique of felling aliens and burning them as intrusive but explains that this technique is useful in removing alien invasive seeds and non-sprouting aliens. Our fire manager Twakkie (Goliath Highburg) agreed with this concept. He explained that forest species struggle to re-establish after a hot burn but other vegetation types such as the Fynbos biome requires a burn every 10 – 15 years.
​
In conclusion, it is therefore very important to decipher the type of vegetation where you are working, the ultimate restoration goal (forest versus fynbos) before applying the correct fire regime. Our conservancy tries our utmost to combat alien invasive vegetation with minimal impact on the environment, while protecting our farms. We are constantly adapting our approaches to alien invasive removal, depending on the results of former removals and feedback from landowners. Do you agree with our approach? What have you observed? We welcome your feedback and comments below.
​
Reference:
Holmes, P.M., Richardson, D.M., Van Wilgen, B.W. and Gelderblom, C., 2000. Recovery of South African fynbos vegetation following alien woody plant clearing and fire: implications for restoration. Austral Ecology, [PDF] 25, pp. 631-639. Available at: https://0-doi.org.wam.seals.ac.za/10.1111/j.1442-9993.2000.tb00069.x [Accessed 23 April 2020]. 

​Twakkie (Goliath Highburg) our fire officer has assisted with many controlled burns and wildfires. He has completed the necessary qualifications and has immense experience in the field. His vast knowledge makes him the go-to person when wildfires occur, or when landowners need to burn their veld. He remains calm and collected, and always delivers clear and understandable instructions to those who assist him. Working with him in any fire related scenario is a valuable learning experience. Many landowners work with Twakkie at this time of year to plan controlled burns. 

Controlled burns are important because they reduce the amount of fuel that could burn in a wildfire and thereby reduce the risk of infrastructure damage, loss of lives and injury. Another important benefit is the increased health of the environment. Two of the biomes we find here, fynbos and renosterveld (part of the fynbos biome), need to burn naturally. These biomes will lose diversity and degrade without the natural occurrence of fire. Fires allow suppressed species to establish, some fynbos species require fire to disperse and germinate seeds. We therefore partake in strictly controlled burns throughout the conservancy during the fire season which normally runs over the winter months. However, we are particularly careful when burning renosterveld as the optimal burning time for renosterveld is late summer / early autumn (i.e. February/March) to reduce damage to the bulbs. Here is more info on the specific requirements for burning renosterveld. 

Twakkie monitors the natural vegetation and consults landowners. All members of the conservancy are required to be members of a Fire Protection Association, either Overberg FPA or Southern Cape FPA. Once the landowner agrees to burn Twakkie, assists the landowner in gaining a permit from the relevant authorities and begins planning the burn. He will take slope aspect, temperature, humidity, wind direction and speed, and the veld into consideration. The date will be set on the day with the best suited weather conditions. The landowners are always ultimately responsible to give the final go ahead for the burn and for decisions made during the burn but Twakkie is on hand to assist and ignoring his advice usually has serious consequences! Typical equipment on a burn includes, a bakkie sakkie, beaters, drip torchers and spray backpacks. A water source to refill the water carrying equipment must be available and easy to access. Once the burn is completed the veld will be monitored to ensure that the fire does not flare up again and any burning logs or vegetation will be doused with water.  

Before the lock down began, the conservancy had a busy few months. So busy that we had no time to update our activities on our blog. Now that we are stuck inside, it’s a chance to reflect on what we were up to at the start of 2020.

​At the end of February, 16 workers from the Conservancy’s alien clearing teams took part in a 3-day Herbicide applicator training course. This regular training ensures that trainees understand how to prepare the herbicide, how to apply the chemicals, how to maintain the equipment and how to practice safe techniques when using these chemicals.
​
The first two days comprised mainly of theoretical content, but learners were given time to practice the techniques they were taught. On the final day learners completed a written test and a practical where participants were given the opportunity to demonstrate their newly learnt skills. 

This is essential training for the safety of our teams and for the protection of the environment. Coalition training provided the training with funding from the Department of Environmental Affairs.