The conservation team
at Banyan Tree has been going mercilessly at the terribly invasive water
hyacinths which are sometimes even known as the World’s Worst Water Weed. From
morning till afternoon the team undergoes endless grappling, tugging and
shoving at these invasive plants into large bin bags. Despite the large beads
of sweat on our foreheads and the mud and dirt staining our shirts, we are
proud to boast our efforts in tackling and conquering a record of 80 bags of
water hyacinths out of the pond. Certainly, the journey of eradicating these
water hyacinths has only just begun. With a group of simply three of our staff
and one honored volunteer; Paul Starkey, we take on this challenge once every
week (Usually on Thursdays).
Water hyacinth mats
are capable of attaining incredibly high plant density and biomass. A single
hectare (10000 meter square) can contain more than 360 metric tons (360000Kg)
of plant biomass! Water hyacinths are considered an exasperating weed in over
50 countries. They cause several problems including;
- The increase of
evapotranspiration well above that of open water (often over 3 times “open pan”
evaporation) thus causing significant water loss in the pond/ wetland.
-The formation of
dense floating mats that cover large areas of water surface - thus excluding
light, and air. This then affects animals (including fish) and plants that live
and grow below the water surface; the area of a water hyacinth mat can double
over several days when conditions of water and temperature are optimal.
-The serious mechanical
impacts on river flows caused by the dense mats of biomass; thus in turn
affecting the circulation of water, nutrients and gases such as oxygen.
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