To protect the province’s parks and reserves from an invasive tree-killing beetle, visitors to the conservation sanctuaries have been banned from bringing their own firewood.
The move by Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife, the province’s wildlife authority, stems from the looming threat posed by the polyphagous shot hole borer beetle, which is native to Southeast Asia, and has been spreading across South Africa.
The beetle is about the size of a sesame seed, but it has been wreaking havoc on indigenous trees and forests.
The beetles carve intricate galleries for breeding and feeding within trees, depositing a co-introduced alien fungus along the way. This fungus disrupts the tree’s circulatory system, impeding the flow of nutrients and water, resulting in branch dieback and eventual tree demise.
The beetle is mainly spread through the movement of wood, particularly firewood. There are currently no registered chemical products to treat infestations by the beetle in South Africa, heightening concerns about the impact on biodiversity and food security.
“Considering the high risk posed by the invasive beetle and its associated fungus to the reserves’ biodiversity, Ezemvelo has taken decisive action by implementing a ban on visitors bringing their own firewood,” said Ezemvelo’s acting CEO Sihle Mkhize.
Visitors could buy firewood sourced from beetle-free areas from park curio shops and they could still bring their own charcoal, Ezemvelo said.
Mr Mkhize said Ezemvelo was working with nearby communities to ensure the wood they sold was free of the beetle.
