Two decades of fighting aliens: exploring Working for Water successes

Abstract

Ntshotsho and her colleagues sought to verify and characterise success in government’s efforts to restore degraded ecosystems through invasive alien plant management. Invasive alien plants pose a significant threat to South Africa’s biodiversity and human well-being. Through its Working for Water programme, the Department of Environmental Affairs is tackling the problem head-on. The programme was specifically set up in 1995 to manage invasive alien plants and provide employment to marginalised sectors of society. Many areas that were once badly infested by these plants have now been successfully cleared. Examples of projects that have been successful, are presented, together with managerial and operational factors critical for success. This is necessary for the optimisation of the programme’s future operations.