TOTI Conservancy’s innovative approach to eradicating the invasive water hyacinth from the Amanzimtoti Lagoon has yielded promising results.
Following the release of 6 000 neochetina weevils in June, a significant portion of the alien invasive plants has perished, thanks to a combination of biological control and natural events.
Also read: Toti Conservancy uses weevils to eradicate water hyacinth
The conservancy’s chairperson, Pia Visagie, said heavy rains also played a crucial role in this success, flooding the river and washing the dead hyacinth out to sea.
“It’s important to note that hyacinth cannot survive in seawater, so whatever got washed out will also die,” she said.
While the weevils also inevitably got washed out, Visagie said that this is a natural part of the process. “The heavy rains were a double-edged sword, but that’s part of nature,” she said.
The efforts have led to a resurgence of birdlife in the lagoon, as the removal of the hyacinth, which had previously suffocated the water’s oxygen supply, has restored the natural balance.
“It’s rewarding to see the positive impact on the wildlife,” said Visagie.
The Toti Conservancy is now preparing to order more weevils to address the remaining hyacinth on the lagoon’s edges and upstream areas.
“Water hyacinth is incredibly resilient and reproduces rapidly. While the weevils and river cleaning are our best bets at controlling its spread, this is an ongoing battle,” said Visagie.
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