Before and after fire

Contemplating Western Cape fynbos before and after a veld fire does not bring instant hope. Many major plant species invaders impact here, like Australian acacias and hakeas, as well as some pine trees and other plants. They are often fire‑adapted and fire‑stimulated. Not only does heat‑triggered seed release from large, persistent, soil seed banks favour some of these species, but their fast post‑fire growth rates, and abilities to outcompete native species in the early seasons after fire count among their strengths.

While fynbos is fire‑dependent, it is not frequent-fire resilient in many of its component species. Repeated and frequent disturbances like fire, bush clearing and the exposure of soil tend to favour certain alien species. The opposite also happens: Fire suppression over long intervals can increase invasion, establish certain pines, encourage shade‑tolerant aliens, and allow the formation of woody thickets.

Science isn’t replacing nature in managing the veld. It adds value in particular issues focussed upon for certain periods, and encourages the hands-off approach in many aspects.

Invading vegetation pressure is expected to persist for generations to come, an expectation as vague as the foreseeable future, but remaining high in the fynbos biome from what we know today. Efforts to gain support and resources for conservation and managing the risk are ongoing. Knowledge how to do all of this is growing through SANBI, some local and international universities and elsewhere.

Every generation has a slightly to dramatically modified brief as to what to do before it is too late for its particular contribution (Wikipedia; https://www.cirad.fr).