Tumut
Indicator: Pest Plants
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What the results tell us for Tumut
Tumut Shire Council identified three priority pest plant species within their Shire for the reporting period (the Shire listed 13 priority weed species for the previous reporting period). All the species have the potential to adversely impact biological diversity and native vegetation and may also reduce primary productivity.
No information was available on the effectiveness of control activities conducted by Tumut Shire Council for priority pest plant species during the current reporting period. 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 undertaken 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 state forests located within the Shire.
Pest plant infestations
The three priority pest plant species identified in Tumut Shire for the current reporting period were: Blackberry (Rubus fruticosus agg. spp), Patterson's Curse (Echium spp.), and St John's Wort (Hypericum perforatum). The location, approximate area and density of infestation of these species was not available.
During the previous reporting period thirteen plant species were identified as priority weeds in Tumut Shire during the reporting period: Alligator Weed (Alternanthera philoxeroides), Bathurst Burr (Xanthium spinosum), Black Willow (Salix nigra), Blackberry (Rubus fruticosus), Illyrium Thistle (Onopordum illyricum), Indian Hemp (Cannabis sativa), Nodding Thistle (Carduus nutans), Paterson's Curse (Echium spp), Scotch Broom (Cytisus scoparius), Serrated Tussock (Nassella trichotoma), St John's Wort (Hypericum perforatum), Sweet Briar (Rosa rubiginosa) and Water Hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes).
All the priority weed species have the potential to adversely impact on biological diversity and native vegetation in the Shire, with Water Hyacinth, Alligator Weed and Black Willow potentially detrimental to native aquatic ecosystems including waterways and wetlands. Many of the priority weed species also have the potential to impact primary productivity by reducing carrying capacity, dominating pasture areas and contaminating wool. St John's Wort, Paterson's Curse and Serrated Tussock are also poisonous or potentially harmful to livestock.
During the previous reporting period, over 30 plant species were reported to be pests in the six national parks and other conservation reserves located within or intersecting Tumut Shire.
Pest plants as threatening processes
Tumut Shire contains four ecological communities listed as critically endangered or endangered within NSW (see Ecological communities) (DECC, 2008a; DECC, 2008b; DEWHA, 2008b) (Note: threatened ecological community lists are generated based on Bioregions). Two are listed under the NSW Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995 and two are listed under the Commonwealth's Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999.
All of these threatened ecological communities are considered at risk from invasive weeds (DECC, 2008b, DEWHA, 2008a). 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 current reporting period. The exotic perennial species included Serrated Tussock and Coolatai Grass, both of which are of concern within the Shire. The impacts of exotic perennial grasses outlined in the Scientific Committee's final determination include (DEC 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 seven priority actions under the "habitat management: weed control" recovery strategy in the Tumut Shire Council. These actions apply to 6 threatened species (1 bat, 1 rodent and 4 plants) (DECC, 2008c).
Pest plant control activities by NSW Government agencies
No information was available regarding control programs undertaken by NSW Government agencies, including DECC, during the reporting period. No information was available regarding control programs for pest plant species within any of the state forests within the Shire.
Pest plant control activities by Tumut Shire Council
The control of pest plants within Tumut Shire is undertaken according to Regional Weed Management plans. These plans cover the area for which the Eastern Riverina Noxious Weeds Advisory Group is responsible. Regional Weed Management plans for the Eastern Riverina Region relevant to Tumut Shire were current at least three priority pest plant species during the reporting period.
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 these weeds with respect to their identification, potential impacts and control options. Council is also a signatory to regional plans for pest plants that so far do not occur in the Shire.
The objectives of regional control programs for major weeds within the Shire focus largely on reducing or eradicating infestations and preventing spread. Weed control methods for priority pest plants predominantly involved the use of herbicide, with biological control methods also used in conjunction with chemical control for Paterson's Curse.
Expenditure on and effectiveness of pest plant control
Expenditure on weed control for priority pest plant species within Tumut Shire was only available for the last year of the reporting period, and is summarised in Table 2. Council received funding from the Noxious Weeds Advisory Council for two of the weed species in the first year of the current reporting period. The majority of funding for weed control within the Shire was sourced by Council, with NSW Agriculture funds received for the control of St. Johns Wort.
Table 2. Pest plant control in Tumut Shire, July 2007 to June 2008 (opens in new window)
The majority of funding for weed control within the Shire was expended on St John's Wort. No information specific to changes in abundance or spread of weed species across density categories was available over the current reporting period.
The affected area (ha) treated by community groups, individuals (eg. farmers) and local government was 100, 800 and 3200 respectively for Blackberry. The affected area (ha) treated by individuals (eg. farmers) and local government was 500 and 800 respectively for Paterson’s Curse, and 150 and 60 respectively for St John's Wort.
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, Tumut Shire Council, viewed 13 October 2008, http://www.threatenedspecies.environment.nsw.gov.au/tsprofile/pas_lga_
recovery_details.aspx?lga=Tumut%20Shire%20Shire Council&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,
Department of Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts (Commonwealth) (2008b), Environmental Reporting Tool, search on endangered ecological communities, viewed 29 September 2008, http://www.environment.gov.au/cgi-bin/erin/ert/ert_dispatch.pl?loc_type=lga&search=Search&report=ert
DEWHA – see Department of Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts
Eastern and Western Riverina Noxious Weeds Advisory Groups (2004b) Riverina Silverleaf Nightshade Management Plan No. 704—Regional Weed Management Plan 2004—2009, Eastern and Western Riverina Noxious Weeds Advisory Groups.
EWRNWAG—see Eastern and Western Riverina Noxious Weeds Advisory Groups
