Fynbos vegetation recovery twelve years after removal of invasive Eucalyptus trees

Strategies for the Management of Aggressive Invasive Plant Species

“…Although the existing control methods often produce relatively good short-term outcomes, they are ineffective in eradicating IAPs in the long-term if not applied periodically [3,49,50]. For example, a recent study by Froeschlin et al [51] in South Africa, a pioneering country in managing IAPs, noted that after 10 years of adopting a combination of control measures (mulching, herbicides, and the sowing of native species) to restore invaded areas, IAPs were not totally extirpated, indicating the need to improve techniques and implement additional efforts to eliminate them. Also, Duarte et al [52] stressed the importance of frequent follow-up actions to reduce the abundance of Acacia longifolia (Andrews) Willd.…”

“…Success in containing the dispersion or ultimately eradicating IAPs requires consistent post-surveillance and follow-up actions within an integrated strategy framework, which represents a huge challenge in terms of the available budget and execution timeframe [53]. In the absence of ongoing management, escaped individuals from the management can act as new focal dispersal points [51], leading to potential recolonization of the area and a loss of previous control efforts. However, the long-term management of IAPs is often neglected in part due to unaffordable costs for sustained efforts or a lack of interest after controlling the initial target population.…”