Gundagai
Indicator: Pest Plants
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What the results tell us for Gundagai
Gundagai Shire Council identified six priority pest plant species within their Shire. All of the priority pest plants have the potential to adversely impact on primary productivity, with four being potentially harmful to stock and one able to contaminate wool. A number of the priority weeds also have the potential to adversely impact on biodiversity and native vegetation.
No information was available during the current reporting period on control activities for priority weeds, or on the effectiveness of control methods. 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 two state forests located within the Shire.
Pest plant infestations
Six priority pest plant species were identified in Gundagai Shire for the current reporting period: Black Willow (Salix nigra), Illyrian Thistle (Onopordum illyricum), Blackberry (Rubus fruticosus agg. spp), Johnson Grass (Sorghum halepense), Silverleaf Nightshade (Solanum elaeagnifolium), St John's Wort (Hypericum perforatum). The location, approximate area and density of infestation of these species in the Shire are summarised in Table 1.
Table 1. Priority pest plants in Gundagai Shire, July 2004 to June 2008 (opens in new window)
All of the priority pest plants have the potential to adversely impact on primary productivity, and to some extent biodiversity and native vegetation communities. St John's Wort, Johnson Grass, Serrated Tussock and Silverleaf Nightshade are potentially harmful to stock.
Pest plants as threatening processes
A number of the priority weed species have the potential to negatively impact on biodiversity and native vegetation. Gundagai Shire may contain six ecological communities listed endangered or critically endangered within NSW or nationally (see Ecological communities) (DECC, 2008b; DEWHA, 2008a). (Note: threatened ecological community lists are generated based on Bioregions). Four threatened 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.
All 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 Shire. The impacts of exotic perennial grasses as 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 the DECC threatened species website, there are two priority actions under the "habitat management: weed control" recovery strategy in the Gundagai Shire Council. These actions apply to two threatened plant species (two plants) (DECC, 2008c).
Pest plant control activities by NSW Government agencies
No information was available regarding control programs undertaken by NSW Government agencies. The entire areas of Buccleuch and Bungongo state forests and 10% of Red Hill State Forest occur within Gundagai Shire. No information was available regarding the presence or control pest plant species within these areas.
Pest plant control activities by Gundagai Shire Council
Regional Weed Management plans for the Riverina Region developed during the reporting period were relevant to four pest plant species in Gundagai Shire (Table 2). No information was available on weed management plans for another two weed species. 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.
Table 2. Pest Plant control in Gundagai Shire, July 2004 to June 2008 (opens in new window)
The objectives of control programs for major weeds within Gundagai Shire were focused largely on controlling infestations along Shire Council roads and on private property. Weed control methods for all priority pest plants predominantly involved the use of herbicide. Biological control methods were also used in conjunction with other methods to control St John's Wort and Illyrian Thistle.
Expenditure on and effectiveness of pest plant control
No information was available for the source of funding for the priority weed species within the reporting period. No figures were available for expenditure during the current reporting period on weed control by community groups or individuals.
No information was available during the current reporting period on the effectiveness of control activities for priority weeds.
No data was available on a breakdown of the percentage of total area treated for each of the six 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, Gundagai Shire Council, viewed 13 October 2008, http://www.threatenedspecies.environment.nsw.gov.au/tsprofile/pas_lga_recovery_
details.aspx?lga=Bega%20Gundagai%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
