Marloth Park Management Plan. - Nkomazi Local Municipality
Marloth Park Management Plan. - Nkomazi Local Municipality
Marloth Park Management Plan. - Nkomazi Local Municipality
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<strong>Management</strong> plans need to be reviewed and updated annually as it is often impractical to treat<br />
all undesirable plant species or infested areas in the same year, and also because it is<br />
impossible to accurately predict weed successional responses. <strong>Plan</strong>ning errors must be<br />
expected, and if the management plans are not updated annually, it must be expected that<br />
these errors will be compounded over time and seriously affect control reliability. It is<br />
considered prudent that a weed control programme not be implemented unless a commitment<br />
of time, labour and finances is allocated to follow-up control operations.<br />
Control measures<br />
A number of infestations of exotic plants occur on <strong>Marloth</strong> <strong>Park</strong>, some of which were planted<br />
purposely in the past and others, which have spread naturally into the area. Some of these<br />
infestations need to receive immediate attention in order to prevent further encroachment of<br />
the natural vegetation. However, it must be emphasized that success will not be achieved<br />
without co-operation of the property owners, where education and understanding of the<br />
implications is considered crucial. It is recommended that control measures be implemented<br />
to improve the vegetation cover and where possible implement drastic reclamation measures<br />
to replace the herbaceous layer.<br />
It is recommended that invasive plant control measures be implemented in co-operation with<br />
the Working-for-Water programme. The follow-up phase can then be implemented and<br />
sustained by the owners. The following noxious and invasive plant species found on <strong>Marloth</strong><br />
<strong>Park</strong> are considered undesirable, have reached encroaching densities, or must be eradicated by<br />
law:<br />
Agave sisalana<br />
This plant classified as an invasive weed species (Category 2) and must be eradicated. The<br />
sisal is recognized by the basal rosette arrangement of succulent sword-shaped leaves with a<br />
sharp terminal spine (Appendix 4). These leaves can exceed 2 m in length. Propagation is<br />
achieved by suckers from the base and by small plants that replace the flowers. The size and<br />
number of these sisal plants are currently limited to gardens in <strong>Marloth</strong> <strong>Park</strong>.<br />
It is recommended that the sisal plants are cut down and the roots dug out and disposed off at<br />
a garden refuse facility. Follow-up treatment can be required to ensure that remaining root<br />
fragments do not propagate. Alternatively, the central rosette can be removed and chemically<br />
treated by injecting the crown with MSMA ® , a registered photosynthesis inhibitor. The plant<br />
can then be mechanically removed and disposed of after it has died.<br />
© Ecological Associates/ <strong>Marloth</strong> <strong>Park</strong> 94