Grassroots September 2016, Vol. 16, No. 3 | Page 41

Congress Mid-Congress Tour: Gondwana Game Reserve Jono Berry Gondwana Game Reserve I [email protected] Conservation in Practice was always told that if one did not like the weather in the Western Cape…. just wait 10 minutes (!) and the mid-congress tour to Gondwana Game Reserve proved this truism. For those congress delegates who braved the first few cold and wet minutes, a sunny afternoon was spent traversing this 11 000 hectare reserve, learning and sharing information about land restoration, alien plant control options and integrated land management. Located between Mossel Bay and Herbertsdale, Gondwana Game Reserve is committed to providing responsible, ethical land management whilst playing host to a successful tourism and hospitality business venture. Ecologically, Gondwana has both Thicket & Fynbos biomes represented and for management purposes has further divided this broad demarcation into six categories, namely: Fynbos, Renosterveld, Thicket, Pastures, Recovering Pastures and Alien Dominated. Discussions during the tour focussed on the following three main issues: 1) the ongoing eradication/management of alien plants, 2) the importance of the grazing value of the pastures/recovering pastures and 3) the responsibilities/obligations land owners are faced with when dealing with alien plants. Alien Plants Gondwana is an Implementing Agent within the Working for Water program and through making use of seven local contractors employing a total of over 70 people. The year 2015 saw 1 400 hectares cleared of all alien plant species including the likes of Black Wattle (Acacia mearnsii), Red-Eyed Wattle (Acacia cyclops) and the Silky Hakea (Hakea sericea). Furthermore, the year 2016 is about consolidating these hard won gains with follow-up treatments and maintaining momentum and employment. Biological control agents have been released and thought has been given to the use of fire in controlling alien species. During the tour, the suggestion was made that perhaps fire could be used prior to a follow-up treatment in order to stimulate the seedbank and increase the value of the herbicidal follow-up treatment. Essentially, disturbance is seen to be a major contributing factor to the spread of these alien species into adjacent, previously stable plant communities and as a Grassroots management team, we are working towards curbing unnecessary disturbance and if necessary, monitoring for degradation and intervening appropriately. Grazing value of (recovering) pastures The pastures on Gondwana are a heritage of the agricultural practices prior to our reserve’s establishment and although they are heavily modified landscapes, they are critical to the conservation and business model of the reserve. These pastures have the ability to support greater densities of herbivores with good visibility whereby they in turn support the associated predators which are so vital to the tourism products we offer. Simply put, it is our pastures which “fund” our capacity to conserve the threatened Fynbos, Renosterveld and Thicket communities. Responsibilities/Obligations of Landowners A recurring theme throughout the day’s excursion was the concept of the obligations which landowners are required to abide by when dealing with alien plants and their eradication/management, as legislated by government. The majority of participants seemed to agree that better decisions were likely with improved communication with all relevant stakeholders. Secondly, idealism may have its place but not as the basis for legislating for alien plant management and the expected behaviour of landowners. Rather, the realistic goal of management as opposed to eradication should be legislated for. Landowners should be expected to improve the condition of their properties but to expect and legislate for the eradication of alien plants is unlikely to contribute to a genuine change in attitudes and/or behaviour. The conservation and responsible ecological management of our Fynbos, Renosterveld and Thicket plant communities is intrinsically linked to the pastures and previously disturbed areas of our reserve. Ironically, it is the alien plants which provide so much employment and it is the so called “degraded” areas of pastures and recovering pastures which add so much to our economic viability. Together these “problem” areas allow us to engage in meaningful conservation and September 2016 Vol 16 No. 3