Cameroon’s largest lake, Lake Ossa, has been invaded by Salvinia molesta, an aquatic fern native to Brazil that hinders navigation, makes fishing inconceivable and blocks water entry. To fight the spreading plant, a neighborhood assist group is coaching fishermen to reap the fern and remodel it into natural coal.
Florent Tsanga and different fishermen meet twice every week to take away what they’ll.
Since Salvinia molesta invaded Cameroon’s largest lake in 2016, Tsanga’s life has modified for the more serious.
He mentioned his kids don’t go to high school due to the salvinia. When the lake was good, within the ’80s and ’90s, he mentioned, the youngsters went to high school. However lately, he cannot afford it.
Lake Ossa is a wildlife reserve that is dwelling to freshwater turtles, crocodiles, manatees and greater than 18 species of fish.
A neighborhood assist group has skilled group fishermen to rework the salvinia into natural coal.
After the fern is collected, it’s dried and burned. The ensuing powder is blended with different substances after which handed by means of a mildew to create charcoal items for home use.
As a result of the aquatic plant grows again each seven days, the help group can be experimenting with a organic answer — elevating a weevil that may feed particularly on salvinia. The group has launched the weevil in a pilot web site within the lake.
They hope the insect will multiply, feed on the salvinia leaves, and produce larva that may connect to new plant progress.
“And beginning is the place the brand new leaves are popping out, and at that stage, you could have proteins that the plant makes use of to develop,” defined Aristide Kamla, founding father of African Marine Mammal Conservation Group. “The larva will hijack these proteins and subsequently will cease the expansion of the plant. So, not solely the weevil will cease the expansion of the crops, however it would additionally destroy the biomass already current.”
The Cameroon authorities has agreed to a pilot check of this organic answer however has not discounted different strategies, mentioned Sylvain Hector Ebog, the conservator of the Lake Ossa Wildlife Reserve.
“We want to see the mechanical methodology utilized in addition to the organic management,” Ebog mentioned, including that organic management would possibly take for much longer. “We will apply each strategies. We’re on the lookout for funding.”
Whereas the fishermen in Lake Ossa are keen to promote the salvinia charcoal to make some cash, they mentioned they might relatively see an answer to wash up the lake in order that they’ll resume fishing.