It is no bigger than a sesame seed, but a tiny beetle is at the centre of a massive threat to South Africa’s indigenous trees and forests.
So much so that Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife (Ezemvelo) has issued a stern warning to visitors not to bring any firewood into Ezemvelo Reserves.
This precautionary measure is in response to the emergence of a minuscule yet formidable enemy – the Polyphagous Shot Hole Borer (PSHB), a beetle no larger than a sesame seed, now posing a significant threat to South Africa's wildlife.
Originating from south-east Asia, the PSHB has recently begun its invasion into South Africa, causing widespread alarm among environmentalists and conservationists.
The beetle's modus operandi involves creating intricate galleries within trees for breeding and feeding, lined with spores of a co-introduced alien fungus.
This fungus, which serves as the beetle's primary food source, is deposited into the tree's circulatory system, effectively blocking the flow of nutrients and water. The result is catastrophic: branch dieback and, ultimately, the death of the tree.
The spread of these beetles is primarily facilitated through the movement of wood from infested trees, commonly in the form of firewood.
This mechanism has enabled the PSHB to infiltrate numerous locations across the country.
Compounding the problem is the absence of registered chemical treatments against PSHB in South Africa, elevating the threat to both biodiversity and food security.
In response to this growing crisis, Ezemvelo has implemented a decisive measure.
"After much consideration of the high risk that this alien beetle and the fungus it carries poses to biodiversity in our Reserves, and the main means of their spread being through firewood, Ezemvelo has decided to implement a ban on visitors bringing firewood into any of our reserves," said Ezemvelo acting CEO Sihle Mkhize.
He said, however, that visitors could still purchase firewood from curio shops within the reserves, sourced from PSHB-free areas, and encouraged the use of charcoal as an alternative.
Mkhize said that Ezemvelo was committed to safeguarding South Africa's natural heritage and were working with collaborations with nearby communities to ensure that the wood sold is free from PSHB, a critical step in the collective fight against this tiny, yet destructive invader.
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