The United Nations Secretariat on the Convention of Biological Diversity has declared the 22nd of May 2009 as International Biodiversity Day or IBD. IBD is a global campaign aimed at raising awareness about biological diversity. This year’s theme is “biodiversity and invasive alien species”. The secretariat says the theme reflects the reality that invasive alien species have invaded and affected native biota in almost every ecosystem type on earth.
In SA it is estimated that the area infested by invasive alien trees and shrubs will double within 15 years if left alone. Invasive alien species (IAS) already use up 7% of SA’s water. Some invasive alien plants like the pompom weed degrade and replace natural grasslands. Invasives are a major human problem and also threaten biological diversity. IAS have a detrimental effect on the productive use of land.
SANBI |
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- Early Detection of Invasive - Threatened species - Grasslands Programme |
Phetole Manyana Lize von Staden and Nandi Mgwadlamba and Anthea Stephens |
012 843 5000 012 843 5000 012 843 5000 |
manyama@sanbi.org nkoana@sanbi.org Mgwadlamba@sanbi.org |
ARC |
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| - Plant Protection Research Institute |
Lesley Henderson | 012 843 5035 | henderson@sanbi.org |
WWF |
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| - Enkangala Grasslands Programme Leader |
Brent Corcoran | 033 239 1887 | bcorcoran@wwfsa.org.za |
GDACE |
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| - Cradle of Humankind | Antonia Bezuidenhout and Obeid Katmuba | 011 355 1806 | antonia.bezuidenhout@gauteng.gov.za Obeid.Katumba@gauteng.gov.za |
AgriSA |
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| www.agrisa.org.za | 011 355 1806 | ||
Wessa |
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| - Wessa North Garth Barnes | 011 462 5663 | gbarnes@wessa.co.za | |
Working for Water |
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| - Regional Implementation Coordinators in 9 provinces |
Antonia Bezuidenhout and Obeid Katmuba | 0800 200 200 | |