Saving Paradise

Stephen Klaber, on 30 Sep 2009

How much Typha are you actually clearing? I’m an international rabble-rouser for the control of aquatic weeds like Typha. It really is one of the main driving forces in desertification, as well as the breeding grounds for many pests. Apparently you don’t have malaria or yellow fever there, but Typha swamps are the favored breeding ground for both. My strategy is to finance its control by harvesting it for biofuel, and, ultimately, for food. Aquatic weeds collect toxins, so not just any can be eaten, but land based crops cannot match the food productivity of Typha. Typha’s renewability is nothing less than terrifying. That’s an asset for a fuel crop. What quantities are you collecting while still improving your environment? What is the local fuel supply and usage?

savingparadise, on 02 Oct 2009

Thanks Brenton.

Stephen, thanks. Those are very useful observations. The sanctuary is 2.9 ha and we keep an area of about 40% for waders and migratory birds. We would like weavers and crafts people to periodically harvest Typha for their use. We also know from experience that its a valuable addition for compost.

edited to add:

Seychelles is a small island state with limited land so both growing and drying of typha is constrained. In addition as a medium developed country (with no unemployment) labor costs will be too high to justify it as a bio-fuel. Food is out as I cannot see Seychellois who are largely protein eaters anyway (third largest per capita consumers of fish in the world) eating this. The kind of rationale outlined by Stephen can only work in the Least developed Countries.

Nirmal Shah