A cost-benefit analysis of removing alien trees in the Tsitsikamma mountain catchment

The removal of water-consuming alien vegetation and restoration of low water-consuming indigenous vegetation, the Working for Water Programme, is the biggest conservation project in terms of manpower use currently being undertaken in South Africa. During 1998 about 40 000 jobs were created in it. The economic case for the programme in selected mountain catchments in the Western Cape has already been presented in this journal. Our paper explores the economic rationale underlying the programme in selected mountain catchments in the Eastern Cape, including areas covered by commercial forestry plantations. A cost-benefit analysis was undertaken of clearing alien forest in the Tsitsikamma mountain catchment using information supplied by the Eastern Cape Nature Conservation department. It is shown that positive net benefits can be achieved by: (a) the removal of alien trees on agricultural land, (b) the removal of alien trees on afforested land and (c) the removal of alien trees on nature reserve land. We conclude that the project is highly desirable in the Tsitsikamma mountain catchment.