Herbicide application course
From the 9 – 11 February 2011 the Liesbeek Maintenance Project Team attended a herbicide application course facilitated by Invader Plant Specialist cc at the Environment Centre situated in Valkenberg Hospital. The South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI), who has been working with the Maintenance Project on the control of Purple Loosestrife, kindly covered the costs of the course and provided catering for the three days.
During the course the team learnt about different herbicides, their active ingredients, mixing ratios, methods of application, target species, plant transport systems and health and safety regulations while applying herbicide. All team members, who thoroughly enjoyed the course, passed with flying colours and are now qualified to legally apply herbicide to alien invasive plants found on the Liesbeek. Well done guys.
This will increase the scope of work the team can achieve on the river and will provide them with future job opportunities. Huge thanks to Ernita Van Wyk (SANBI) for organising the course and for the continuous support of the Maintenance Project. We look forward to the partnership with SANBI growing in the future.
Figure from left to right: Malibonwe Mzinanda, Mneceleli Klaas, Ntobeko Dyani, Sivuyile Zwide and David Nyalethele receiving their certificates.
