Queanbeyan
Indicator: Pest Plants
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What the results tell us for Queanbeyan
Queanbeyan City Council has identified six weeds of priority within the Council area. All the priority species have the potential to reduce primary productivity, while three species are poisonous or potentially harmful to livestock. All priority weed species also have the potential to adversely impact on biological diversity and native vegetation, including two listed threatened ecological communities.
Council carried out weed control activities for all priority weeds during the reporting period, and achieved reductions in densities for four of the species. No information was available on the distribution and abundance of weeds within various national parks and other reserves over the reporting period, or on weed management activities undertaken by the NSW (New South Wales) Department of Environment and Climate Change (DECC) in those areas. No information was available on weeds or weed management in state forests located partly within the Queanbeyan City Council area.
Pest plant infestations
Six plant species were identified as high priority pests in Queanbeyan City Council Area during the reporting period: African Lovegrass (Eragrostis curvula), Blackberry (Rubus fruticosus), Cape Broom (Genista monspessulana), Paterson's Curse (Echium spp), St John's Wort (Hypericum perforatum) and Serrated Tussock (Nassella trichotoma).
All of the priority weed species have the potential to reduce primary productivity. St John's Wort, Paterson's Curse and Serrated Tussock are also poisonous or potentially harmful to livestock. Two of the priority weed species also have the potential to negatively impact on two threatened ecological communities that occur in the Council area.
The location, and approximate area and density of infestation of the six major pest plants in the Queanbeyan City Council area are summarised in Table 1. Council achieved reductions in densities for four of the priority weed species. The largest infestations were of African Lovegrass, although all other priority weeds except Broom covered significant areas.
Table 1. Priority pest plant species in Queanbeyan Shire, June 2004 to July 2008 (opens in new window)
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 Council area.
Pest plants as threatening processes
A number of the priority weed species have the potential to negatively impact on biodiversity and native vegetation. Queanbeyan City Council area may have occurrences of four threatened communities listed nationally or in NSW (DECC, 2008a; DECC, 2008b, DEWHA, 2008a) (Note: threatened ecological community lists are generated based on Bioregions). All of these communities are at risk from fire or inappropriate fire regimes (DECC, 2008b; DEWHA, 2008b) particularly when existing as small and/or fragmented remnants. No information was available to assess the impact of fire on these communities during the current reporting period.
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 area. 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 the Department of Environment and Climate Change threatened species website, there are two priority actions under the ‘habitat management: weed control’ recovery strategy in the Council area. These actions apply to two threatened species, (1 bat and 1 plant) (DECC, 2008c).
Pest plant control activities by NSW Government agencies
No information was available regarding control programs undertaken by NSW Government agencies.
Pest plant control activities by Queanbeyan City Council
The control of five of the high priority pest plants within the Council area is undertaken according to regional and sub-regional Weed Management plans. Regional Weed Management Plans cover the area for which the Southern Tablelands and South Coast Noxious Plants Committee are responsible. Regional Weed Management plans for the Southern Tablelands and South Coast Region developed during the reporting period, in which Queanbeyan City Council is involved; covered five pest plant species (see Table 2).
Table 2. Pest plant control in Queanbeyan Shire, June 2004 to July 2008 (opens in new window)
Control actions for the major weeds within the Council area focused largely on preventing spread into clean areas, controlling all rare and isolated infestations, strategically reducing infestations in marginal and core areas, reducing reinvasion through appropriate follow-up, implementing protocols to prevent seed spread, education, facilitating coordination between land managers and protecting vulnerable high conservation areas. Weed control methods for priority species within the Council area predominantly involved the use of herbicide, with additional slashing of African Lovegrass, physical removal of Blackberry, and use of biological control methods to control Paterson's Curse.
Expenditure on and effectiveness of pest plant control
The majority of funding for control of five of priority weed species was sourced either through Council or NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI). The majority of funding was expended on African Lovegrass and St John’s Wort. No figures were available for expenditure during the current reporting period on weed control by community groups or individuals.
Council achieved reductions in the distribution and abundance of four of the priority weed species, while one species, Paterson’s Curse, increased during the current reporting period. With ongoing funding to control African Lovegrass, low density infestations decreased by 10-15% within the Council during the current reporting period.
The area of infestation of Blackberry decreased by 25% in low density infestations, while medium density infestations decreased by 5-10%. The area of Serrated Tussock decreased in medium density infestations by 5-10%. Paterson’s Curse increased during the current reporting period by 5% in high density infestations, 10-15% in medium density infestations and 20% in low density infestations.
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
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, Queanbeyan Shire Council, viewed 13 October 2008, http://www.threatenedspecies.environment.nsw.gov.au/tsprofile/pas_lga_recovery_details.aspx?
lga=Bega%20Queanbeyan %20Shire%20Councilandtype=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,
