Co-facilitating invasive species control, water conservation and poverty relief: achievements and challenges in South Africa's Working for Water programme

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Main Authors: van Wilgen, Brian W, Wannenburgh, Andrew
Format: Recurso digital
Published: Zenodo 2016
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_version_ 1866901427010404352
author van Wilgen, Brian W
Wannenburgh, Andrew
author_facet van Wilgen, Brian W
Wannenburgh, Andrew
contents (Uploaded by Plazi for the IPBES Invasive Alien Species Assessment) The Working for Water programme simultaneously promotes conservation and poverty relief through alien plant control projects. We trace the programme's history and review the factors that led to its success. These included a sound scientific grounding, a clear demonstration that the plants are a serious threat to vital and scarce water resources, and a unique opportunity presented by South Africa's transition to democratic government. The programme built on historical precedents for control, and was able to capitalise on a core of dedicated managers that delivered a good-news story, leading to increased funding. The programme has facilitated advances in biological control, raised levels of awareness, enacted legislation, and promoted research. However, it has only treated a relatively small proportion of the estimated invaded area, and assessments of progress towards ecosystem-scale outcomes cannot be made as they are not monitored. The need to operate in a bureaucratic environment, an emphasis on job-creation and relative neglect of environmental goals, and high levels of political interference are significant obstacles to progress.
format Recurso digital
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institution Zenodo
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publishDate 2016
publisher Zenodo
record_format zenodo
spellingShingle Co-facilitating invasive species control, water conservation and poverty relief: achievements and challenges in South Africa's Working for Water programme
van Wilgen, Brian W
Wannenburgh, Andrew
Chapter 5
biodiversity
environment assessment
IPBES
Alien Invasive Species Assessment AIS
invasive species
(Uploaded by Plazi for the IPBES Invasive Alien Species Assessment) The Working for Water programme simultaneously promotes conservation and poverty relief through alien plant control projects. We trace the programme's history and review the factors that led to its success. These included a sound scientific grounding, a clear demonstration that the plants are a serious threat to vital and scarce water resources, and a unique opportunity presented by South Africa's transition to democratic government. The programme built on historical precedents for control, and was able to capitalise on a core of dedicated managers that delivered a good-news story, leading to increased funding. The programme has facilitated advances in biological control, raised levels of awareness, enacted legislation, and promoted research. However, it has only treated a relatively small proportion of the estimated invaded area, and assessments of progress towards ecosystem-scale outcomes cannot be made as they are not monitored. The need to operate in a bureaucratic environment, an emphasis on job-creation and relative neglect of environmental goals, and high levels of political interference are significant obstacles to progress.
title Co-facilitating invasive species control, water conservation and poverty relief: achievements and challenges in South Africa's Working for Water programme
topic Chapter 5
biodiversity
environment assessment
IPBES
Alien Invasive Species Assessment AIS
invasive species
url https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.18180544