Since 2020, Regenerative SPACE (R-SPACE), as a member of the Agulhas Biodiversity Initiative (ABI), together with other ABI member organisations and private sector partners, has been crafting a localised green economy with value chains based on the beneficiation of alien vegetation. This involves clearing invasive alien plants that are spreading across the landscape at a rate of 5 – 10%, a tremendous threat to biodiversity, resulting in massive loss of water and increase in fire risk, and developing commercially viable products to help pay for the regeneration of the landscape.

Currently, four local firewood contractors provide full-time work to around 60 people with about 420 downstream dependents. Another 12 people are permanently employed in the pole production value chain. A number of other product value chains will come online soon with the processing of a broader range of invasive alien plants, including extruded logs (for heating), pallets (used for the transportation of products), and wood chips (to be processed by a third party as pellets for heating).

Roughly 6 500 tons of highly invasive Acacia, Pine and Eucalyptus have been removed so far. We are setting up a new processing depot, securing new equipment, training new team members and constantly looking at new and innovative ways to do things differently and solve socio-environmental problems.