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The benefits and costs of clearing invasive alien plants in northern Zululand, South Africa

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  • Nkambule, N.P.
  • Blignaut, J.N.
  • Vundla, T.
  • Morokong, T.
  • Mudavanhu, S.

Abstract

More than 60% of northern Zululand is tribal land with a substantial area falling within protected areas. Much of the land is invaded by invasive alien plant species (IAPs) such as Chromolaena odorata and Lantana camara. Most of these species do not have any economic value and compromises communal livelihoods and biodiversity. This paper aims to investigate the benefits and costs of clearing IAPs in northern Zululand. A system dynamics model was developed specifically for this analysis. A number of scenarios characterised by various IAP spread rates and clearing investment interventions were formulated and evaluated. The study finds that the highest net returns from clearing the IAPs were generated by value-added products (VAPs), followed by the value of water not consumed by the IAPs. The clearing of IAPs was found to be more cost-effective than augmenting water supply. Supplementing clearing investment operations through private sector co-finance reduces the stock of invasion, increases the area cleared, increases biomass for VAPs, saves more water and clears a greater area for livestock and maize production. The co-finance scenario proved to be the better management option. This scenario generated the most benefits and had a positive net present value (R2.5 million).

Suggested Citation

  • Nkambule, N.P. & Blignaut, J.N. & Vundla, T. & Morokong, T. & Mudavanhu, S., 2017. "The benefits and costs of clearing invasive alien plants in northern Zululand, South Africa," Ecosystem Services, Elsevier, vol. 27(PB), pages 203-223.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ecoser:v:27:y:2017:i:pb:p:203-223
    DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoser.2017.04.011
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Currie, Bianca & Milton, Suzanne J. & Steenkamp, J.C., 2009. "Cost-benefit analysis of alien vegetation clearing for water yield and tourism in a mountain catchment in the Western Cape of South Africa," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 68(10), pages 2574-2579, August.
    2. Blignaut, James & Mander, Myles & Schulze, Roland & Horan, Mark & Dickens, Chris & Pringle, Catherine & Mavundla, Khulile & Mahlangu, Isaiah & Wilson, Adrian & McKenzie, Margaret & McKean, Steve, 2010. "Restoring and managing natural capital towards fostering economic development: Evidence from the Drakensberg, South Africa," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 69(6), pages 1313-1323, April.
    3. Higgins, Steven I. & Turpie, Jane K. & Costanza, Robert & Cowling, Richard M. & Le Maitre, Dave C. & Marais, Christo & Midgley, Guy F., 1997. "An ecological economic simulation model of mountain fynbos ecosystems: Dynamics, valuation and management," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 22(2), pages 155-169, August.
    4. Turpie, J.K. & Marais, C. & Blignaut, J.N., 2008. "The working for water programme: Evolution of a payments for ecosystem services mechanism that addresses both poverty and ecosystem service delivery in South Africa," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 65(4), pages 788-798, May.
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    1. Maher J. Tadros & Amani Al-Assaf & Yahia A. Othman & Zeyad Makhamreh & Hatem Taifour, 2020. "Evaluating the Effect of Prosopis juliflora , an Alien Invasive Species, on Land Cover Change Using Remote Sensing Approach," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(15), pages 1-13, July.
    2. Zizipho Atyosi & Luambo Jeffrey Ramarumo & Alfred Maroyi, 2019. "Alien Plants in the Eastern Cape Province in South Africa: Perceptions of Their Contributions to Livelihoods of Local Communities," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(18), pages 1-16, September.

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