The Maloti-Drakensberg is an important region of plant biodiversity and endemism, and a strategic regional water source. In mountains, climate, geography and geology promote environmental heterogeneity, with numerous microhabitats supporting high species diversity. The ‘Mountain Kingdom’ of Lesotho is largely reliant on subsistence agriculture. For a decade, shrubs have been cleared from these alpine grasslands to increase herbaceous grazing capacity for livestock. A published three-year study evaluated the impact of mechanical shrub removal on plant diversity and composition in upper-montane and alpine grassland catchments. Although enhancement of herbaceous species diversity and biomass was found, it was a short-term result. The authors recommended that shrub removal be repeated biennially. We applaud this investigation, but, given the importance of the conclusions drawn based on this published study and the broader implications concerning rangeland governance, the outcomes and recommendations need critical interrogation. Our concerns include that many of the shrub species removed are endemic, near-endemic and threatened species important for restricted insect pollinators. These species are also used within the subsistence economy for fuelwood and medicinal purposes at sustainable levels of disturbance. Ecologically, removal of shrubs reduces root networks that help bind the soil, leading to greater leaching of soil nutrients and soil erosion – already observable in the area – and negatively impacts water quality and other ecosystem services.
Cron et al. (2026) studied this question.