Keeping an eye on invader plants
There is some Pampass grass, and a small patch of Spanish grass in the reserve.
Blesbokspruit is monitored intensively for possible invader plants.
Stan Madden, an environmentalist who is working closely with the Grootvaly Blesbokspruit Wetland Reserve says there are a few invader plants in the reserve, but it is not at this stage posing a danger to the grassland of this area.
He says there is some Pampass grass, and a small patch of Spanish grass.
The small patch of Spanish grass, close to the reserve entrance, is not a great threat and is checked regularly to ensure that it does not spread.
The Pampass grass, originally from South America, was introduced in the Blesbokspruit area when it was planted at the foot of the slimes dams.
With a slimes dam bordering the reserve, some of these grasses are settling inside Blesbokspruit’s grassland.
Madden says this grass is not good to have around people, because it affects their chests.
There is at this stage no Pompom weed in the reserve, says Madden.
This weed, with its purple flowers, that is currently spotted in open areas in and around Springs, will not be tolerated at Blesbokspruit, he says.
Madden says it spreads “frighteningly fast” through its rizomes and its flowering seeds.
The Scottish Thistle is another invader plant, Madden keeps his eye on in the reserve.
Ekurhuleni metro, the owner of the reserve is responsible for the removal of the invader plants.
Themba Gadebe, the metro spokesman says the metro did remove some of the invader plants last year, but due to financial constraints could not eradicate all these invader plants in the reserve.
“The municipality is planning to cut out these plants again before the end of the financial year,” Gadebe assured.
