29 May 2025

Okavango Research Institute (ORI) on Tuesday convened a workshop to address the pressing issue of invasive alien plant species in the Kgalagadi district. The workshop provided a platform to outline the objectives and overall plan of a crucial research project aimed at understanding and managing this ecological challenge.

The research initiative, spearheaded by the ORI under the University of Botswana, signifies a crucial step towards understanding and mitigating the ecological impacts of invasive alien plant species in the Kgalagadi and Ghanzi districts. The findings and proposed management practices are expected to contribute significantly to the conservation of native biodiversity and the sustainable management of natural resources in these regions.

Presenting the core objectives of the workshop Mr Joseph Madome, the Herbarium Curator at ORI, said the main objective was to document the current distribution of alien invasive plant species within the Kgalagadi district. It also aimed to assess the detrimental impact of the invasive species on the diversity of native plant life, determining the effects of alien invasive plants on the population structure and regeneration of native tree species in the targeted regions, developing effective management practices for prioritised invasive alien plant species, and creating detailed maps illustrating the distribution of these invasive species across the Kgalagadi district. He further explained that invasive alien plant species were non-native plants that had been introduced either intentionally or accidentally to a new geographic area where they were not naturally found.

Mr Keotshephile Kashe, a Senior Research Fellow at the ORI detailed that the project would commence by establishing a database of existing records related to invasive alien plants in the region. This, he said, would be followed by extensive surveys conducted across various land use systems, including agricultural land (crop and grazing land), residential areas (abandoned plots, residential gardens), transportation corridors (roadsides, pipelines), and landfill sites, which are considered particularly vulnerable to invasion. He explained that during the surveys, researchers would record key data such as the date, geographical coordinates, altitude, locality name and description of infestation with regard to land use, the abundance of invasive plants, and ecological impacts.

The project work plan included specific timelines for different stages of data collection, with woody plant surveys scheduled for July and August 2025, and herbaceous invasive plants surveys planned for March and April 2026, said Mr Kashe. The dissemination of the research findings is scheduled for May 2026 in Gaborone, June 2026 in Tsabong, and July 2026 in Ghanzi, to ensure that the results reach relevant stakeholders and communities within the affected districts. ENDS