Eradication programme against Cylindropuntia rosea on the shores of Salagou lake (FR)
Cylindropuntia rosea (Cactaceae) originates from Mexico and Arizona and can be 1.5 m high and 3 m wide. Segments are cylindrical, greenish-grey with numerous spines, and fall apart very easily to form new individuals. Flowers are pink, 5 cm wide with yellow anthers and stamens. The species competes with other plants for water and nutrients, and its spines make the movement of wild fauna, livestock and people dangerous. This species is present and regulated as an invasive alien plant in South Africa and in Australia. Within the EPPO region it is only recorded in the wild in France and Spain.
C. rosea was first recorded in 2006 in the wild in the South of France in Celles, on the Salagou lake shores (Hérault department). In the municipality of Celles (locality ‘le Cébérou’), 4 populations of 2000 m² were observed. In 2008, the local authorities (Conseil Général de l’Hérault, Syndicat Mixte de Gestion du Salagou, Celles municipality) as well as ;the Conservatoire Botanique National Méditerranéen, and the Office National de la Chasse et de la Faune Sauvage jointly decided to undertake an eradication programme against C. rosea. In 2009, the plant was removed mechanically (with a mechanical digger) and manually (when the area was not accessible to machinery). All removed plant material was buried on the site at a depth of about 2 m, depth at which the species cannot germinate or regenerate vegetatively. This removal action took 5 days, spread over April and May. All tools and machinery used were carefully cleaned in order to avoid any further spread of the plant. For a period of several years, this site will be monitored annualy in order to remove any new findings of C. rosea.
Sources
Conservatoire Botanique National Méditerranéen de Porquerolles (2012) Un cactus éradiqué sur les berges du Salagou. Espèces Végétales Exotiques Envahissantes en Languedoc-Roussillon et Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur.
Petermann A (Undated) Projet d’éradication d’Opuntia rosea (= Cylindropuntia rosea) sur la commune de Celles dans l’Hérault (34). Conservatoire Botanique National Méditerranéen de Porquerolles, 4 pp.