«السرطان الأخضر» يهدد البيئة

In the heart of the dense forests of Guadeloupe, a serious environmental threat re-emerges with the appearance of the "Miconia calvescens" plant, known by the nicknames "the purple plague" and "the green cancer," after being first spotted four years ago during the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to Agence France-Presse, authorities are intensifying their efforts to combat this plant invasion, as teams from the National Forestry Office are engaged in strenuous field operations to uproot the plant from its roots. Renaud Hirard, one of the field workers, describes its characteristics, saying that its purple leaves with white stripes on the inside make it easy to identify.

For his part, Matthieu Villemant, a biodiversity expert, warns of the dangers posed by this invasive plant, which produces millions of seeds with a germination rate exceeding 90%, making it capable of overshadowing local plants and choking the entire ecosystem.

Eradication operations are carried out manually and meticulously, including uprooting, isolation, burning, and even cleaning shoes with seawater to ensure that its seeds are not transported. Estimates indicate that the cost of campaigns to combat it has exceeded 550,000 euros over just five years, amid growing fears of its resurgence.