Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning
- Whether locust swarms have in the past bred on or crossed nature reserves or nature areas under the control of CapeNature; if so, what are the relevant details;
- what is his Department’s position on the (a) chemical and (b) biological control of locust plagues in the province, particularly if it should be found that swarms at the hopper stage exist in nature reserves;
(3) to what extend has his Department in the past monitored actions to control locust swarms, including the use of insecticides, by the (a) provincial and (b) national Department of Agriculture?
(1) CapeNature is not aware of any impact from locust swarms on its Protected Areas, either in the northern part of the Western Cape Province (WCP) (Kliprand/Louriesfontein area) or the north-eastern part of the WCP (Beaufort West/Prince Abert area) where they were most prevalent.
(2) CapeNature’s position, as it relates to areas under its control, is to monitor adult and hopper stage locust swarms, should they be found to be present on its Protected Areas. CapeNature acknowledges that the severity and extent of locust swarms may warrant extra-ordinary interventions (such as the use of chemicals) to safeguard key ecological features, when other mechanisms are proven to be ineffective. CapeNature supports the use of biological control methods to manage locust outbreaks.
CapeNature recommends that the use of chemicals outside its Protected Areas, as a control agent, be associated with a sound communication strategy and awareness campaign with key interested and affected parties. CapeNature will only intervene if ecologically sensitive areas in its Protected Areas are affected. CapeNature will consult with neighbours regarding proposed eradication measures.
(3) (a) and (b) CapeNature has not monitored actions to control locust/hopper swarms occurring in the landscape (outside its Protected areas) but, along with its partners, and the Provincial Disaster Management Advisory Forum has ensured that it remains current of any developments and has ensured that areas under its control are monitored.
