National Environmental Management: Biodiversity Act, 2004 (Act No. 10 of 2004)

Notices

Non-Detriment find Assessment for Aloe ferox (Bitter Aloe)

Table 1: Detailed NDF assessment for Aloe ferox undertaken in accordance with the CITES NDF checklist.

Incentives and benefits from harvesting

21. Utilization compared to other threats
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What is the effect of the harvest when taken together with the major threat that has been identified for this species?

Beneficial

1

Neutral

2

Harmful

3

Highly negative

4

Uncertain

5

 

Tappers reported that harvesting has a beneficial effect on aloe as it promotes new growth. Industry stakeholders suggest that A. ferox plants are increasingly recognized as an economically valuable wild resource, and landowners are therefore making concerted efforts to conserve the species. This information is however largely anecdotal, and it is also important to note that illegal harvesting in communal lands, especially by untrained tappers who harvest large amounts of leaves, remains a real threat to the species. Quantitative data are needed to validate the anecdotal information provided by industry stakeholders, especially since a study by Greengrass in 2004 indicated a negative impact on A. ferox growth and reproductive output following harvesting.