I read an article (2004), that seedlings for this weed were available to the residents of Baringo? Do you know if this is going on in your area? From what I read this plant can be poisonous to goats. That it can cause asthma in humans who have allergy to it. Apparently, it has a few useful applications, but these are outweighed by their negative environmental impact. Very troubling, especially how it impacts your water supply and soil erosion. Has the UN been trying to address this problem, since they seem to be responsible for it being introduced in the first place.

Sorry, I forgot to add that I’m very concerned for these Giraffes and the other wildlife it poses a threat to.

Could this plant be specifically targetted for charcoal production? Is there anyone nearby who could make a business out of clearing growths, processing them and selling on the charcoal locally or further afield? Would this just lead to problems for other plant species through encouraging charcoal production?

Thank you for your email re my comments. Wim, those are interesting proposals. I have searched the net, but have found no RECENT articles on this serious problem, why is that!

Abdul, have your heard of the non-profit organization CABI? They do alot of work in Africa re invasive plant and insect species. There website is http://www.cabi.org If you can check ou their website and I will try to call them tommorrow morning. Can you tell me what specific region of Kenya you are in as it may prove helpful.