In this study (chapter 1) I evaluated the motivations and contributions of individual volunteers and groups to the control of IAS in South Africa's Western Cape province. Data were collected using online questionnaires, one directed at volunteer group co-ordinators, and the other directed to individual volunteers involved in the management of IAPS. In total, we identified 52 volunteer groups. In chapter 2, we administered questionnaires to members of the public in eight small towns along the Berg River Catchment in the Western Cape, South Africa, aiming to assess: awareness and perceptions of IAS by the general public. Overall, 262 respondents participated in the survey.

The purpose of this study was to identify and map volunteer groups controlling Invasive Alien Plant Species (IAPS) in Western Cape, South Africa and assess citizens knowledge of invasive alien species by citizens in small towns along the Berg River Catchment.