I think control by herbicides and fire would not be acceptable in Tai Po Kau (as it would destroy other vegetation and/or stream life), and covering them with plastic sheets would have the same effect as the Mikania itself (ie smothering all other vegetation).
Control by hand seems to be the best option but as ysinhang points out, this would need to be timed so that it does not encourage further spread of fruits. Perhaps in the short term, the spread can be controlled by cutting the bases of the stem so that the plants cannot get water/nutrient.
Is Mikania a problem in most of TPK? I think it is mostly along the more open, forest-edge habitat along the access road, not in the actual forest.
