Many farmers and scientists emphasise the importance of “aftercare”. Most of the methods of treating the symptoms shown here do not kill the bushes. Thus some form of aftercare would be necessary to deal with regrowth. Aftercare is described in detail in Chapter 3: ROTHAUGE, A., 2017. Bush Control Manual (see USEFUL DOCUMENTS). Below is a photo of one season’s regrowth of Acacia mellifera after harvesting in Okondjatu. What aftercare will work? Can the regrowth be used for a better quality milled fodder? Yes, but the quantity will be low and so the cost/benefit of this needs to be tested. Will browsers control the aftercare directly? Observations and research suggest no, although hares may slow down the regrowth significantly. There is not sufficient fuel to burn, so the area will have to be rested, reseeded (with perennial grasses) and burnt later, but once a fire is applied, this may be too late. Arboricides therefore remain a controversial but effective alternative with negative side effects.
Once the ecosystem has returned to a more open productive savanna (with occasional thickets and heterogeneity in the landscape) then “aftercare” would be the same as continuous good management (REST, ETC.) and adaptive management e.g. fire after seedling establishment as outlined in this booklet, i.e. AFTERCARE = ADAPTIVE MANAGEMENT + GOOD GRAZING MANAGEMENT.