The Southern Cape Landowners Initiative (SCLI)
is an informal body which was created in order to bridge communication and co-operation between various stakeholders regarding the clearing of Invasive Alien Plants in the greater Southern Cape area. The focus of the SCLI is to facilitate the communication between various organisations, groups and private entities which are directly or indirectly resp
onsible for the clearing of Invasive Alien Plants (IAPs), and by so doing ensure that the greatest maximum success rate is achieved in eradicating these invasive species. Working for Water has declared IAPs as the "single biggest threat to the country's biological diversity", and in addition to the biological damage that these invasive species cause, they also have a very large, negative impact on the country's economy. The billions of rands of damage incurred due to these invasive species is not only due to biological damage incurred, but also through damage to commercial industry - IAP's reduce water security, lower soil productivity and increase soil erosion and damage or destroy the functioning of natural ecosystems. The negative effects of IAP's are far-reaching and exponential, however at first glance the severity of these impacts are not readily noticeable. It is for this reason that the SCLI undertakes to educate the greater public and specifically landowners on the effects of these plants, and to encourage and support them in the removal of IAP's on their land.
