Page 34 - State of Biodiversity Report 2022/2023

Recording NEMBA: Alien species
The National Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment manages Invasive Alien Species (IAS) under the National Environmental Management: Biodiversity (NEM:BA, Act 10 of 2004). Upon joining the NEMBA project on iNaturalist, any observation of an IAS will automatically be added to the project and the observer alerted to its status. Similarly, each NEMBA category has a dedicated project.To date, 178 IAS species (10 of which are animals), have been observed across eThekwini. In addition, a data collection project – the Alien Early Detection and Rapid Response, is available for recording information about potential new aliens, or new localities.
Some observations of the Invasive Alien Species observed in eThekwini: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations?iconic_taxa=Aves,Amphibia,Reptilia,Mammalia,Actinopterygii,Mollusca,Protozoa,Fungi,Insecta, Arachnida,Plantae&place_id=164766&project_id=nemba-alien-species-south-africa&subview=map&view=species
What are the NEM: BA IAP categories and what do they mean?
Category 1a: Invasive species that may not be owned, imported into South Africa, grown, moved, sold, given as a gift or dumped in a waterway. These species need to be controlled on your property. Examples include Campuloclinium macrocephalum (Pom Pom Weed), and Diplocyclos palmatus (Lollipop Climber).
Category 1b: Invasive species that may not be owned, imported into South Africa, grown, moved, sold, given as a gift or dumped in a waterway. Category 1b species are major invaders that may need government assistance to remove. All Category 1b species must be contained, and in many cases, they already fall under
a government-sponsored management programme.
Examples include Ageratina riparia (Creeping Crofton Weed) and Ipomoea indica (Purple Morning Glory).
Category 2: These are invasive species that can remain in your garden but only with a permit, which is granted under very few circumstances. Examples include Morus alba (Common Mulberry), Pinus elliottii (Slash Pine).
Category 3: These are invasive species that can remain in your garden. However, you cannot propagate or sell these species and must control them in your garden.
In riparian zones or wetlands all Category 3 plants become Category 1b plants. Examples include Syzygium jambos (Rose Apple) and Duranta erecta (Pigeon Berry).
10. SANBI is mandated to conserve South Africa’s rich biodiversity. Its Biological Invasions Directorate (BID) aims to reduce the threat of biological invasions through detection, identification, assessment and management of invasive species that may be contained or eradicated
For more resources on invasive species in Durban, please visit the BMD publications website page: (http://www.durban.gov.za/City_Services/development_planning_management/environmental_planning_climate_protection/Publications) or the BMD offices (Room 200, City Engineers Building, 166 K.E. Masinga Road, Durban)
32 STATE OF BIODIVERSITY REPORT 2022/2023