INCONSIDERATE residents who have been dumping their garden refuse in the Hawaan Forest in recent weeks have earned the ire of local conservationists. The irresponsible behaviour poses a great risk to the pristine coastal forest, they said.
The forest, owned by Tongaat Hulett, hosts many fauna and flora that cannot be found anywhere else in South Africa.
At several spots along the forest’s border fence on Herald Drive in uMhlanga the dumping of dead branches, leaves and other vegetation is clearly visible. It is suspected that residents along Herald and Portland Drive are responsible.
“Dumping garden refuse might not seem like a big deal, but this could not be further from the truth. Many of the dead plants dumped into the forest are alien invasive plants, such as fever trees and pepper trees. If seeds are dumped along with the refuse and they germinate it becomes a new problem. We have worked hard to clear and maintain the forest,” said Jocelyn Sutherland, a custodian of the forest and member of the Botanical Society of South Africa.
What’s more, the refuse could also smother any indigenous flora, killing off the barrier between the fence and forest. “This could have an impact on the community as it facilitates the criminal elements within the area. A thick barrier makes it difficult for vagrants and would-be-thieves to cut the fence and enter the bush,” she added.
The alien plants could also pose a poisonous threat to any of the animals within the forest.
Sithembiso Mthembu, development executive at Tongaat Hulett Developments, was outraged by the dumping. “A lot of funds and effort from various conservationists and ourselves have gotten the forest to its current state and for the adjacent community to dump like this is completely unacceptable,” he said.
Sutherland echoed his sentiments, saying it was ‘disheartening and disrespectful’. Anyone caught dumping will be reported to environmental enforcement officials and could face a hefty fine.
