Goulburn-Mulwaree
Indicator: Pest Plants
Results for this indicator are also available for [an error occurred while processing this directive]
What the results tell us for Goulburn Mulwaree
Goulburn Mulwaree Council identified 22 weeds as a priority within the Council area during the reporting period. No information was available to assess the effectiveness of Council control methods. All of the declared noxious weeds have the potential to adversely impact on biological diversity and native vegetation, and to reduce primary productivity. Eight species are also poisonous or potentially harmful to livestock.
Council had control plans in place for 18 priority species during the reporting period; these plans covered the entire Council area. No information was available on Council's pest plant control program expenditure, areas treated or the effectiveness of the activities. 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 data were available for pest plants in the single state forest in the Council area.
Pest plant infestations
Of the 42 species on Council's noxious weed list, the following 22 were present in the Council area during the reporting period and considered a priority:
- African Boxthorn (Lycium ferocissimum)
- African Lovegrass (Eragrostis curvula)
- Bathurst/Noogoora/ Californian/ Cockle Burrs (Xanthium spp.)
- Blackberry (Rubus fruticosus agg. Spp.)
- Chilean needle grass (Nasella neesiana)
- Fireweed (Senecio madagascariensis)
- Gorse (Ulex europaeus)
- Harisia cactus (Harrisia spp.)
- Hemlock (Conium maculatum)
- Horehound (Marrubium vulgare)
- Nodding Thistle (Carduus nutans)
- Pampas Grass (Cortaderia spp)
- Paterson's Curse, Vipers/Italian Bugloss (Echium spp.)
- Prickly Pear (Opuntia spp except O. ficus- indica)
- Rhus tree (Toxicodendron succedanea)
- Scotch/English Broom (Cytisus scoparius)
- Scotch/Illyrian Stemless Thistles (Onopordum spp.)
- Serrated Tussock (Nassella trichotoma)
- Sifton Bush (Cassinia arcuata)
- St John's Wort (Hypericum perforatum)
- Sweet Briar (Rosa rubiginosa)
- Willows (Salix spp. except S. babylonica, S. reichardtii and S. calodendron)
Pest plant infestations within the Council area were reported to occur predominantly on agricultural lands, roadsides, in urban parks and reserves and along waterways.
The location, approximate area and density of infestation of the 22 priority pest plants are shown in Table 1. No information was available to assess whether these weeds have changed in their abundance or spread during the reporting period.
Table 1. Priority pest plant species in Goulburn Mulwaree Shire, July 2004 to June 2008 (opens in new window)
Pest plants as threatening processes
A number of the priority weed species have the potential to negatively impact on biodiversity and native vegetation. Goulburn Mulwaree Council may contain ten threatened ecological communities listed as endangered or critically endangered within NSW or nationally (see Ecological communities) (DECC, 2008a; DECC, 2008b; DEWHA, 2008a). (Note: threatened ecological community lists are generated based on Bioregions). Eight threatened ecological communities are listed under the NSW Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995, two are listed under the Commonwealth's Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999.
Most 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.
A final determination to list 'Invasion of native plant communities by exotic perennial grasses' as a key threatening process under the Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995 was made by the NSW Scientific Committee during the previous reporting period. The grass species included Serrated Tussock, which is a species of concern within the Council. The impacts of exotic perennial grasses as outlined in the Scientific Committee's final determination include (DECC 2008a):
- competition with or displacement of native species
- local and regional declines in many native plant species and communities.
According to DECC threatened species website, there are two priority actions under the "habitat management: weed control" recovery strategy in the Goulburn Mulwaree Council. These actions apply to two threatened species (one bat and one plant) (DECC, 2000c).
Pest plant control activities by NSW Government agencies
No information was available regarding control programs undertaken by NSW Government agencies. No information was available regarding control programs for pest plant species of the one state forests that is located in the Council.
Pest plant control activities by Goulburn Mulwaree Council
Council work on the control of priority pest plants within the Council area is undertaken according to regional weed management plans. These plans cover the area for which the Southern Tablelands and South Coast Noxious Plants Committee is responsible. Regional weed management plans for the Southern Tablelands and South Coast Region developed during the reporting period covered 20 pest plant species, including eight aquatic noxious weeds.
A Management Plan for the Enforcement of Class 4 Noxious Weeds (21 March 2006) was developed for 18 priority weeds (see Table 2). Control programs covering the entire Council area were in place for all priority weeds except Water hyacinth and Willows. No other control actions by individuals or community groups for noxious weeds were reported within the area in the current reporting period.
Table 2. Pest Plant control in Goulburn Mulwaree Shire, July 2004 to June 2008 (opens in new window)
Control actions for noxious weeds within the Goulburn Mulwaree Council Area focused largely on controlling weeds along roadsides and inspecting rural properties affected. Weed control methods predominantly involved the use of herbicide and physical removal, with some slashing undertaken by rural landholders.
No information was available from Council for the current reporting period regarding expenditure for pest plant control programs, areas treated nor changes in the abundance or spread of these species due to control programs.
Expenditure on and effectiveness of pest plant control
No information was available on expenditure on control of pest plants within the Council area.
No information was available to assess whether priority weeds have changed in their abundance or spread during the reporting period. Council carried out weed control activities for 20 priority weeds during the reporting period, however no information was available on areas treated or the effectiveness of weed control activities. No information was available on Council's pest plant control activities, i.e. types of control methods used (e.g. chemical, biological, physical removal, fire etc.).
No data was available on a breakdown of the percentage of total area treated for each of the nine 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 and Climate Change (2008c), Threatened Species – species, populations and ecological communities in NSW , Recovery and threat abatement, Bombala Shire Council, viewed 13 October 2008, http://www.threatenedspecies.environment.nsw.gov.au/tsprofile/pas_lga_recovery_
details.aspx?lga=Bega%20Bombala%20Shire%20Council&type=habitat+management:+weed+control
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
