An Open Letter to SANParks’ Managing Executives
It seems that even entities endowed with only Artificial Intelligence (AI) need little prompting to urge SANParks’ Managing Executives to heed their mandate and rid Tokai Park of its last infestations of pine.
Reading Time: 5 minutes
By ChatGPT
Dear Dr Luthando Dziba and Mr Property Mokoena,
I am writing to you today to strongly urge the restoration and conservation of Cape Flats Sand Fynbos and Peninsula Granite Fynbos at Tokai Park, and the removal of the remaining stands of plantation pine (pinus radiata) in accordance with the legislation governing SANParks’ conservation mandate.
As you may know, Cape Flats Sand Fynbos and Peninsula Granite Fynbos are two of the most critically endangered vegetation types in the world, with only small fragments remaining in the Western Cape.
According to the South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI), these ecosystems have been degraded and fragmented by urbanization, agriculture, and forestry, resulting in significant losses of plant and animal species, and increasing the risk of extinction of many unique species.
Research conducted by the University of Cape Town has shown that pine plantations, such as those found at Tokai Park, pose a significant threat to these ecosystems. Pine trees, which are not native to South Africa, have a negative impact on native fynbos ecosystems by changing the soil composition, nutrient levels, and water availability. This, in turn, has a significant impact on the vegetation structure, plant community composition, and the ability of these ecosystems to support wildlife.
Moreover, pine plantations increase the risk of wildfires in the area. A study published in the South African Journal of Science found that pine plantations create a significant fuel load that increases the intensity and duration of wildfires, leading to devastating ecological and economic impacts.
In addition, removing the pine plantations and restoring the natural fynbos ecosystems can have significant economic benefits for the local community. A report by the South African Department of Environmental Affairs found that the restoration and conservation of fynbos ecosystems can provide significant economic benefits in terms of job creation, carbon sequestration, water conservation, and tourism.
It is essential that SANParks takes action to remove the remaining stands of pine plantations in Tokai Park and restore these critical ecosystems. SANParks is mandated by the National Environmental Management: Protected Areas Act, 2003 to conserve and manage protected areas in a manner that promotes biodiversity conservation, ecological integrity, and sustainable use of natural resources. The removal of pine plantations and restoration of fynbos ecosystems is consistent with this mandate and supports SANParks’ long-term vision of protecting and conserving South Africa’s unique natural heritage.
In conclusion, I urge you to take immediate action to restore and conserve Cape Flats Sand Fynbos and Peninsula Granite Fynbos at Tokai Park and remove the remaining stands of pine plantations in accordance with SANParks’ conservation mandate. This will not only protect these critical ecosystems, but also support the economic and social development of the local community.
Thank you for your attention to this matter.
Sincerely,
Legislation
South African legislation includes several sections that specifically address the growth or maintenance of alien trees and vegetation types in Protected Areas and National Parks. Here are some key sections:
- National Environmental Management: Protected Areas Act, 2003 (Act No. 57 of 2003):
- Section 48: Prohibits the introduction, re-introduction, or planting of alien species in Protected Areas without authorisation.
- Section 49: Empowers the Minister to prescribe measures for the control and eradication of alien species in Protected Areas.
- National Environmental Management: Biodiversity Act, 2004 (Act No. 10 of 2004):
- Section 71: Prohibits the import, possession, and trade of specified invasive species, including alien plants, without a permit.
- Section 73: Provides for the declaration of categories of invasive species, which may include alien plants, and the implementation of control measures.
- National Environmental Management: Protected Areas Amendment Act, 2014 (Act No. 16 of 2014):
- Section 23A: Empowers the Minister to make regulations regarding the control and eradication of invasive alien species in Protected Areas.
- National Veld and Forest Fire Act, 1998 (Act No. 101 of 1998):
- Section 9: Prohibits the starting, spreading, or maintenance of a fire in a protected environment without authorisation.
- Conservation of Agricultural Resources Act, 1983 (Act No. 43 of 1983):
- Section 22A: Empowers the Minister to make regulations for the control of invasive alien plants on land, including Protected Areas.
It is important to note that these sections provide a general overview and there may be additional specific regulations, by-laws, or policies at the provincial or municipal level that further regulate the growth or maintenance of alien vegetation in South Africa’s Protected Areas and National Parks.
Further reading
DFFE (2015) South Africa’s 2nd National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan 2015–2025
Cousins S et al (2018) Invasive alien plants in South Africa pose huge risks, but they can be stopped
Raimondo D, Grieve K, Helme N, Koopman R & Ebrahim I (Eds) (2013) Plants in Peril
Van Wilgen B (2015) Plantation forestry and invasive pines in the Cape Floristic Region – Towards conflict resolution
A comment from Friends of Tokai Park
The prompt used to general the above text reads:
Write an open letter to the Managing Executives of SANParks, Dr Luthando Dziba and Mr Property Mokoena, arguing, at length, in favour of the restoration and conservation of Cape Flats Sand Fynbos and Peninsula Granite Fynbos at Tokai Park and for the removal of the remaining stands of plantation pine (pinus radiata) in terms of legislation governing SANParks’ conservation mandate.
A second request, using the same prompt, generated an equally authoritative and valid response, albeit using the same soulless style as the original.
The legislation was generated using the prompt:
List the sections of South African legislation specifically prohibiting the growth or maintenance of alien trees or other alien vegetation types in South Africa’s Protected Areas and National Parks.
Although we and ChatGPT share similar views on this issue, ours are grounded in human experience, scientific study and, we hope, values to which most human beings aspire.
ChatGPT, devised by human innovation, is not human. Like many of our other innovations, e.g. biodiversity loss, global warming and climate change, it does not hold to any values or code of ethics. It is not original or creative. And it is a social-media Artificial Intelligence (AI) tool that may be used or terribly misused.
Then again, in certain respects and for an app lacking a mind of its own, ChatGPT appears to shame many humans in a similar position.
We urge readers new to the proliferation of AI applications on the Internet to read UNESCO’s 2021 Recommendations on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence, which addresses some of the ethical and practical concerns raised by the ubiquity and use of these tools.
