Conserving biological diversity in South Africa through sustainable removal of invasive plants

In South Africa, several nature reserves, including globally unique ecosystems recognized as UNESCO World Heritage Sites, are threatened by invasive tree and plant species. Many previous measures to help eradicate harmful species have failed or only produced short-term results. The non-profit company SouthSouthNorth (SSN) develops self-sustaining business models to ensure the continuous removal of harmful woody plants in a nature reserve in Hessequa. This will be accomplished by partnering with local landowners and qualified micro-enterprises and creating sustainable businesses with public and private resources. SSN supports the selected cooperation partners with training on innovative business models and assists the fledgling companies in applying for funding. The project is accompanied by scientific research.