City Parks takes on alien invaders - the weeping willows - in Randpark Ridge

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Alien plants face the chop CITY Parks has invasive alien plants in its sights. On Friday, it was the turn of the willows at Hymany Dam in Randpark Ridge. October 14, 2005 By Tshepiso Seopa NATIONAL Weedbuster Week might be ending on 16 October, but City Parks will continue the war against invasive alien plants. On 18 and 19 October, City Parks soldiers take the battle to Parlshoop, where alien plants, particularly poplar trees, will be eradicated. Hymany Dam in Randpark Ridge was the scene of battle on Friday, 14 October. Invasive aliens, mainly weeping willows, which are the dominant species at the dam, were eradicated. Each weeping willow consumes up to 25 litres of water a day. Cebelenkosi Mhlongo, the aquatics specialist at City Parks, said, "Weeping willows are fast-growing trees and they grow in places where the land is moist. That is why they are usually found in places where there is enough water supply." Weeping willows are indigenous to China and were first introduced into Europe and the Middle East, and later to other parts of the world. They can grow up to 19 metres high and more than half a metre around. "The tree can pose a threat in residential areas because housebreakers use them to gain entry into houses," Mhlongo said. "Also, the roots of the tree stretch wide if they do not find water, and wrap around the houses' water pipe systems, bursting them. The roots pose a threat to walls because walls crack if the roots reach them." There are exceptions to the general war on weeds. For example, City Parks considered whether a tree provided shade in a park and the role it played in beatifying the environment, said Mhlongo. Members of the community are urged to replace weeds with indigenous plants when they eradicate. When trees are cut down, chemicals are sprayed on to the stump to prevent regrowth. Mhlongo said City Parks was winning the battle against invasive alien plants because it was able to reach up to 80 percent of its set targets a year, including emergencies that might not be included in its financial year plan. Permission to use web site material Publishers may use material from this site free of charge, as long as: Credit is given to either the "City of Johannesburg website (www.joburg.org.za)" or to "Johannesburg News Agency (www.joburg.org.za)"; If the article is used online, a link is provided to the original article on this website; The name of the article's author is acknowledged; The webmaster is informed of how and where the material is used (fill in this brief online form). Johannesburg News Agency is operated by BIG Media at 011-484-1400 Print this Page E-mail this article to a friend Help using Joburg.org.za