Reward of R4000 offered for ‘palm poisoner’
They have warned the members on their WhatsApp group not to be concerned when they see plants dying.
The Leisure Bay Conservancy (LBC) and the Leisure Bay Ratepayers Association (LBRA) are on the hunt to find out who poisoned indigenous palms and other plants and trees in the area.
LBRA and LBC have each offered R2000 – a total of R4000 – as reward for the positive, proven identification of those responsible.
Jenny Koen, chairman of the conservancy, explained that they have concentrated on removing alien invader plants mostly along roads close to the shoreline – Fisherman’s Drive, Bonito, Brighton, Bexhill – but also up and down Salmon, Shad, Barracouda and Dolphin roads.
They have warned the members on their WhatsApp group not to be concerned when they see plants dying.
“These are invader plants which must be controlled, and we take great care to cause minimal damage to the surrounding plants, using various techniques,” she said.
But some unknown person has systematically heavily herbicided a big clump of indigenous wild date palm (Phoenix reclinata) and other indigenous plants and trees in the protected admiralty reserve on the seaside of Bexhill Avenue on the south side of the bottom of Torquay Avenue, just above Peter Pan Bay, over the last few months.
Jenny said this is illegal and this is unwarranted destruction of precious habitat.
“This is destruction of municipal property and whoever did this / ordered this to be done has no morals. This was NOT done by the Leisure Bay Conservancy as part of our alien control program and nor by the municipality.”
If you know anything of this issue, please contact Jenny at 082 857 3363. Your anonymity is guaranteed.
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