Umbogintwini scout spearheads Kariba weed clean-up [Pics]
A young scout from 1st Umbogintwini Scouts spearheaded a project at Amanzimtoti Japanese Gardens, removing an invasive plant, the Kariba weed.
GREEN-THUMBED eco-warriors joined hands at the Amanzimtoti Japanese Gardens on May 30 for a remarkable collaborative effort to rid the gardens of the invasive Kariba weed polluting the pond.
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Young 1st Umbogintwini scout, Aarushi Bhoora, 16, spearheaded the project to fulfil part of the requirements for her Springbok Scouts Service Award.
What is Kariba weed?
She explained that the Kariba weed, also known as Salvinia molesta, is an invasive plant originally from South America.
“Once it spread to South African waters, it began killing indigenous aquatic life. This plant grows rapidly, forming a thick dense mat on the surface of the water, which causes eutrophication to occur, which kills aquatic plants and animals,” said Aarushi.
Eutrophication is a process by which a body of water becomes overly enriched with minerals and nutrients. Excess nutrient loading then triggers rapid, uncontrolled growth of algae and aquatic plants, ultimately degrading water quality, depleting dissolved oxygen and creating a hostile environment for wildlife.
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“I chose the Japanese Gardens as we tried cleaning up before with just a few scouts, but could not manage much in six hours. During the clean-up, we found dead fish and crabs, reinforcing how harmful the Kariba weed is for the biodiversity of the pond,” said Aarushi.
The young scout’s plan involved the Wildlife and Environment Society of South Africa (WESSA), scouts from the district, volunteers from Tidy Towns and the community to make a greater impact.
“We were able to clean out around 30% of the pond. I would say it was a success even though we did not clean the whole pond. It is important that we raised awareness about this invasive species. Hopefully at the next clean-up, we can get more people involved to ensure permanent removal of the Kariba weed,” said Aarushi.
Habiba Ally and Charis de Beer gathered up the weeds for removal.
The Springbok Scout Award
This is the highest achievement a scout can earn in South Africa. It represents more than a series of tasks and recognises that a young person has demonstrated exceptional leadership, service, outdoor skills, character and commitment to the values of scouting. The service theme represents one of six themes scouts develop in, with the others including adventure, living outdoors, personal development, scout skills and safety awareness.
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