Cootamundra
Indicator: Pest Plants
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What the results tell us for Cootamundra
Cootamundra Shire Council identified ten priority pest plant species within their Shire. The majority of the priority pest plants have the potential to adversely impact on primary productivity, with three in particular able to contaminate wool and two potentially able to poison livestock. A number of the priority weeds also have the potential to adversely impact on biodiversity and native vegetation.
The Shire Council control efforts in the reporting period focused on priority species, with reductions reported for all species of priority weeds. No information was available on the status of weeds within various national parks and other reserves over the reporting period, or on weed management activities undertook by the New South Wales (NSW) Department of Environment and Climate Change (DECC) in those areas. No information was available on weeds and weed management in the two state forests located within the Shire.
Pest plant infestations
Ten plant species were identified as priority weeds in Cootamundra Shire: African Boxthorn (Lycium ferocissimum), Bathurst Burr (Xanthium spp), Blackberry (Rubus spp.), Coolatai Grass (Hyparrhenia hirta), Horehound (Marrubium vulgare), Johnson Grass (Sorghum halepense), Prairie Ground Cherry (Physalis viscosa), St John's Wort (Hypericum perforatum), Scotch Thistle (Onopordum spp), Silverleaf Nightshade (Solanum elaeagnifolium). The location, approximate area and density of infestation of these species in the Shire are summarised in Table 1.
Table 1. Priority pest plant species in Cootamundra Shire, July 2004 to June 2008 (opens in new window)
All of the priority pest plant species have the potential to impact upon primary productivity and reduce access to recreational areas. In addition, Bathurst Burr, Scotch Thistle and Horehound can cause the contamination of wool, while Johnson Grass and St John's Wort are potentially poisonous to livestock.
The largest infestations in the Shire were Bathurst Burr, St John’s Wort and Scotch Thistle, with significant infestations of Horehound, however most infestations are within medium or low density infestations. The only weed known to be in high density infestations was Scotch Thistle.
No information was available to assess the distribution and abundance of priority weeds within conservation areas. No information was available regarding the presence of pest plants within state forests located wholly or partially within the Shire.
Pest plants as threatening processes
Cootamundra Shire contains two ecological communities listed as endangered within NSW or nationally. White Box Yellow Box Blakely's Red Gum woodland is listed as endangered under the NSW Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995. White Box Yellow Box Blakely's Red Gum Grassy Woodlands and Derived Native Grasslands is listed as critically endangered under the Commonwealth's Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. (see Ecological communities).
Both of these threatened ecological communities are considered at risk from invasive weeds (DECC, 2008d, DEWHA, 2008a) particularly when existing as small and/or fragmented remnants. These include exotic perennial grasses, pasture weeds, noxious weeds and environmental weeds. Weeds compete with native plants for resources such as light and nutrients, and can aggressively invade areas, displacing native plants and animals. The control of weeds at these priority sites can help recover threatened species. No information is available to assess the impact of weeds on these threatened plant communities.
Pest plant control activities by NSW Government agencies
No information was available regarding control programs undertaken by NSW Government agencies. No information was available on control programs for pest plant species within Yeo Yeo or Jindalee state forests.
Pest plant control activities by Cootamundra Shire Council
Pest plants are controlled as required by Regional Weed Management Plans. These Plans cover the Eastern Riverina Noxious Weed Advisory Group and the Lachlan Valley Noxious Plant Advisory Committee area. The Riverina and Lachlan group of Councils applies for funds to address the aims and objectives of relevant Plans from NSW Agriculture grants and from individual Councils. Local weed management programs are in place to target local infestations. Weed management plans prepared for the Riverina Region during the reporting period (EWRNWAG/LVNPAC ) for Horehound and Bathurst Burr were relevant to Cootamundra Shire, as were the regional weed management plans for the remainder of priority weeds (see Table 2).
Table 2. Pest plant control in Cootamundra Shire, 2004 to 2008 (opens in new window)
These regional plans enable a coordinated approach to pest plant control. All plans include a strong focus on raising Council, State Agency and community awareness of the weeds' identification, potential impacts and control options. All priority pest plant species had either regional weed management plans or Council management plans in place during the reporting period. No control programs were implemented within the Shire for Wild Radish, Sweet Briar, Bathurst Burr and Horehound.
Control programs within the Shire largely focused on controlling new infestations before seed set and reducing rare or isolated infestations. Chemical control methods were predominantly used throughout the Shire to control priority pest plants. Biological control for Scotch Thistle was introduced in hilly areas within the Riverina to supplement other control methods used.
Expenditure on and effectiveness of pest plant control
The majority of funding for control of five of priority weed species was sourced either through The Shire Council or DPI funding through LVNPAC. No figures were available for expenditure during the current reporting period on weed control by community groups or individuals.
Weed control activities were successful in reducing infestations of all species of priority weeds, with large reductions for a number of weed species including African Boxthorn (45% reduction in medium density and 65% reduction in low density), Blackberry (40% reduction in medium density and 95% reduction in low density), and Scotch Thistle (50% reduction in medium density and 75% reduction in low density). See Table 3 for total change in relative abundance and spread (as a % ) resulting from implementation of controls and management plans for all priority weeds across all categories.
Continued problems with the timely granting of NSW state government annual funding affects weed management programs. Programs are generally effective and this has increased with closer cooperation between community and the Shire Council and the Shire Council and other land management agencies. Joint programs between, other land management agencies and private landholders have resulted in much more effective outcomes.
No data was available on a breakdown of the percentage of total area treated for each of the ten priority weeds by local Government, community groups and individuals.
About the data
A spread sheet was supplied to each Council, with fields summarising priority plant species, the status of control plans and their objectives. The spreadsheet also included a field nominating the types of control methods used and the areas that were treated, either by community groups, individuals or local government. A field describing the change in relative abundance within the density classes of high (75-100% cover), medium (20-74% cover) and low (1-19%) was also included. In compiling the Pest Plant indicator chapters, the authors compared this data to data for the previous reporting period (2000-2004), as well as sourcing information available on the DECC website. In some cases, missing data impeded comparison.
References
DECC—see Department of Environment and Climate Change
Department of Environment and Climate Change (NSW) (2008a) NSW Scientific Committee—Final Determination, Invasion of Native Plant Communities by Exotic Perennial Grasses—Key Threatening Process Declaration, NSW Department of Environment and Conservation, 29 September 2008, http://www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/npws.nsf/Content/Invasion+of+native+plant+
communities+by+exotic+perennial+grasses+key+threatening+process+declaration
Department of Environment and Climate Change (2008b), Threatened Species – species, populations and ecological communities in NSW , search on endangered ecological community, viewed 29 September 2008, http://www.threatenedspecies.environment.nsw.gov.au/tsprofile/home_species.aspx
Department of Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts (Commonwealth) (2008a), Biodiversity, search on endangered ecological community, viewed 29 September 2008, http://www.environment.gov.au/biodiversity/index.html
Southern Tablelands and South Coast Noxious Plants Committee (2001a) Regional Weed Management Plan for Aquatic Noxious Weeds 2001–2006, Southern Tablelands and South Coast Noxious Plants Committee, viewed 29 September 2008,
STSCNPC—see Southern Tablelands and South Coast Noxious Plants Committee
