Environmental policy and administrative management

BORAVAST Community Resource Management Trust which comprises of Bokspits, Rappelspan, Vaalhoek, Struizendam and surrounding areas intends undertaking a project that aims at developing a management strategy that can be used in controlling the invasive Mesquite (Prosopis species). Mesquite has invaded and is continuing to invade the Molopo and Nossop River beds and the surrounding rangelands. The plant has successfully colonised the area. Its allelophathic properties have enabled it to out-compete and replace most of the indigenous vegetation, forming dense thorn bushes. Circumstaintial evidence suggests that it may also be lowering important fresh-water aquifers and clogging boreholes with its extensive root system. This has seriously degraded rangelands and reduced biodiversity. In addition, there are some suspicions that mesquite cause allergic diseases in humans. BORAVAST area is located in the south - western part of Kgalagadi District. This area is one of the driest in Botswana, receiving an annual average rainfall of about 200mm.

Botswana