Invasion plants threaten environment
Sep 23, 2007
THEY are in your compound and can be used as herbal medicine, but many people do not know the effect of invasive plants to our environment. The plant could be <i>omuteete (cymbopogon nardus), kapanga (lantana camara) and Cassia (senna spectabilis)</i>.
By Juliet Waiswa
THEY are in your compound and can be used as herbal medicine, but many people do not know the effect of invasive plants to our environment. The plant could be omuteete (cymbopogon nardus), kapanga (lantana camara) and Cassia (senna spectabilis).
At a recent workshop on removing barriers to invasive plant management in Africa, scientists and environmentalists, who conveyed at the Hotel Equatoria in Kampala, said invasive plants had affected the resources and habitats of Budongo Forest Reserve in Masindi and Lake Mburo National Park in Masindi.
To control their negative effects, a United Nations Environment Programme/Global Environment Facility (UNEP/GEF) project, was designed to identify and manage the invasive plants species in Africa.
A site was introduced at Lake Mburo National Park, to study cymbopogon nardus and the water hyacinth, while another was set up in Budongo Forest Reserve to focus on senna spectabilis.
About 82,530 hectares hectares of Budongo Reserve Forest have been affected by senna spectabilis.
The plant, that was introduced as a boundary marker, has since spread to other parts of the forest. Because of its invasive nature, the tree has been classified as one of the ‘weed trees’ and suggestion are being made to destroy it in favour of the other ‘valuable’ timber species.
Christine Mugenyi, the Masindi site coordinator, says: “It is important to develop an effective communication strategy on the management of senna spectabilis and bio-diversity conservation to ensure public awareness and readiness to handle the invasiveness of the plant.â€
In Kiruhura district in south-western Uganda, cymbopon nardus has driven herdsmen from some grazing areas because their animals contract diseases from pests that hide in the weed.
The weed has spread to Sembabule, Isingiro, Lyantonde, Kiboga, Mpigi, Luweero and Nakasongola districts.
Steven Byenkya, the coordinator of Mbarara site, says cymbopon nardus is a habitant for ticks, which affect livestock. It also habours wild animals, which attack chicken.
Dr. Gad Gumisiriza, the national coordinator, UNEP/GEF project, says the project was initiated in 2006 after a series of stakeholders identified over 30 of invasive species. The focus countries include Ethiopia, Ghana, Zambia and Uganda.
He said Zambia is trying to control lantana Camara, which covers much of its land.
THEY are in your compound and can be used as herbal medicine, but many people do not know the effect of invasive plants to our environment. The plant could be omuteete (cymbopogon nardus), kapanga (lantana camara) and Cassia (senna spectabilis).
At a recent workshop on removing barriers to invasive plant management in Africa, scientists and environmentalists, who conveyed at the Hotel Equatoria in Kampala, said invasive plants had affected the resources and habitats of Budongo Forest Reserve in Masindi and Lake Mburo National Park in Masindi.
To control their negative effects, a United Nations Environment Programme/Global Environment Facility (UNEP/GEF) project, was designed to identify and manage the invasive plants species in Africa.
A site was introduced at Lake Mburo National Park, to study cymbopogon nardus and the water hyacinth, while another was set up in Budongo Forest Reserve to focus on senna spectabilis.
About 82,530 hectares hectares of Budongo Reserve Forest have been affected by senna spectabilis.
The plant, that was introduced as a boundary marker, has since spread to other parts of the forest. Because of its invasive nature, the tree has been classified as one of the ‘weed trees’ and suggestion are being made to destroy it in favour of the other ‘valuable’ timber species.
Christine Mugenyi, the Masindi site coordinator, says: “It is important to develop an effective communication strategy on the management of senna spectabilis and bio-diversity conservation to ensure public awareness and readiness to handle the invasiveness of the plant.â€
In Kiruhura district in south-western Uganda, cymbopon nardus has driven herdsmen from some grazing areas because their animals contract diseases from pests that hide in the weed.
The weed has spread to Sembabule, Isingiro, Lyantonde, Kiboga, Mpigi, Luweero and Nakasongola districts.
Steven Byenkya, the coordinator of Mbarara site, says cymbopon nardus is a habitant for ticks, which affect livestock. It also habours wild animals, which attack chicken.
Dr. Gad Gumisiriza, the national coordinator, UNEP/GEF project, says the project was initiated in 2006 after a series of stakeholders identified over 30 of invasive species. The focus countries include Ethiopia, Ghana, Zambia and Uganda.
He said Zambia is trying to control lantana Camara, which covers much of its land.