Exploring Pigeon Valley: Clearing of alien vegetation

This is the 50th in an ongoing series that highlights the riches of Pigeon Valley, the urban nature reserve in the heart of Glenwood. The focus of this article will be the clearing of alien vegetation.

Appearances to the contrary, much of the time I have spent in Pigeon Valley has not been contemplating the riches of nature, but rather fighting it – at least fighting against the invasive vegetation that threatens all our habitats. When I first arrived, the conservationist in charge told me that the reserve was in a very bad way because of the smothering effect of the Ipomoea indica, an alien creeper that spread over large parts of the park. I asked if I could do some clearing work and he readily agreed.

The work was perhaps greater than I realised – for the last 27 or so years I have been tackling the Ipomoea, with the assistance of various Friends of Pigeon Valley and casual workers (funding has come from the membership of the Friends and, in particular, financial support by a data management company, TelesaComms). Since the creeper penetrates into thorny thickets, has hundreds of roots and its stem can often be confused with stems of indigenous plants, this is a truly challenging task. In particular, these thickets are made up largely of what was previously called Acacia kraussiana, and now Vallechia nilotica, a sprawling plant that has the rare ability to detect your presence, to reach out and impale you with its host of thorns – or at least that is what it feels like. Very slow creeping under the thickets is sometimes the most effective way of tracking the creeper.

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We are, though, getting towards the end of this particular struggle. It is harder and harder to find the Ipomoea indica, and some large, previously infested areas are totally clear. There are always plenty of other challenges, such as the Indian Laurel (Litsea glutinosa), Triffid Weed (Chromolaena odorata), and newer and extremely difficult invaders, such as the Creeping Inch plant (Callisia repens) and Tradescantia. I try not to get too angry over the fact that people deliberately brought some of these into South Africa to make money. It is rather like property crime, in that some people do it to make a bit of money while burdening society with immense costs.

Without the removal of these invaders, the biodiversity of Pigeon Valley would be limited. Protecting habitats is one of the key elements in conservation and visitors are rewarded by seeing a range of plant, bird and mammal life that is remarkable for an urban reserve.

If I am asked what South Africa needs – indeed, what the world needs – I would answer, an ethic of care. In other words, to see our first task as not the pursuit of wealth or advantage, but as caring for ourselves and for others – human and other species. I see alien clearing not as a form of control over the environment, but rather as an expression of care for it.

Crispin Hemson chairs the Friends of Pigeon Valley, a group that undertakes clearing of alien plants, keeps records of bird and mammal sightings and alerts management to any problems.

The Friends have a monthly walk at 7.30am on the second Saturday of each month. Email: friendsofpigeonvalley1@gmail.com.