Cape Town fights alien trees threatening its water supply, biodiversity

An invasive pine sapling sits amongst indigenous vegetation above Caledon near Cape Town, South Africa, October 12, 2021. Picture taken October 12, 2021. REUTERS/Mike Hutchings

CAPE TOWN (Reuters) - In South Africa's Franschhoek mountains a helicopter drops off abseilers to cut down invasive pine trees that are choking off water supplies to millions of Cape Town residents already facing climate change-induced shortages.

The crews are there to help to remove 54,000 hectares of alien trees by 2025, in the process reclaiming an estimated 55 billion litres of water lost each year - two months water supply for Cape Town.