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

The removal of water-consuming alien vegetation and restoration of low wate r-consuming indigenous vegetation, the Working for Water Programme, is the biggest conservation project in terms of manpower use currently being under taken in South Africa. During 1998 about 40 000 jobs were created in it. Th e economic case for the programme in selected mountain catchments in the We stern Cape has already been presented In this journal.(6) Our paper explore s the economic rationale underlying the programme in selected mountain catc hments In the Eastern Caps, including areas covered by commercial forestry plantations. A cost-benefit analysis was undertaken of clearing alien fores t in the Tsitsikamma mountain catchment using information supplied by the E astern Cape Nature Conservation department. It is shown that positive net b enefits 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 hig hly desirable in the Ysitsikamma mountain catchment.