Upper Lachlan
Indicator: Pest Plants
Results for this indicator are also available for [an error occurred while processing this directive]
Please note: Text or data highlighted in this colour represent an update to this indicator for the period 2008/09.
What the results tell us for Upper Lachlan
In the 2004-08 period Upper Lachlan Shire Council identified nine weeds of priority within the Shire. In May 2009 Council adopted a noxious weeds control policy that aims to put in place a framework to responsibly and effectively eradicate, control and manage noxious weeds within the Upper Lachlan Shire Council area to ensure that agricultural production, biodiversity and the environment are protected. The policy also supplies a list of eight local priority noxious weeds. All the priority species have the potential to adversely impact on primary productivity, with four being potentially harmful or poisonous to livestock. A number of the priority weeds also have the potential to adversely impact on biodiversity and native vegetation.
During the current reporting period the Shire Council carried out control activities for all priority weeds. However no information is available on the effectiveness of these control methods for the current reporting period. During 2004 parts of Mulwaree, Gunning and all of Crookwell Councils were amalgamated and the consolidation of weed dispersal data was difficult to document.
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 or weed management in Keverstone State Forest located in the Upper Lachlan Shire.
Pest plant infestations
Nine plant species were identified as priority pests in the Upper Lachlan Shire Council during the reporting period: African Lovegrass (Eragrostis curvula), Blackberry (Rubus fruticosus), Chilean Needle Grass (Nasella neessiana), Gorse (Ulex europaeus),St John's Wort (Hypercum perforatum), Fireweed (Senecio madagascariensis), Paterson's curse (Echium spp),. Scotch/English Broom (Cytisus scoparius) and Serrated Tussock (Nassella trichotoma). All these species have the potential to adversely impact on primary productivity as they are pasture invasive. St John's Wort and Serrated Tussock are also potentially harmful or poisonous to livestock.
The priority pest plant species are invasive and have the potential to reduce primary productivity, with St John's Wort also poisonous to stock, and Blackberry potentially able to restrict stock access to water courses. A number of the priority weed species also have the potential to negatively impact on two threatened ecological communities that may occur in the Shire. No information is available to assess the potential impact of these weeds on these threatened plant communities.
The largest infestations were of Serrated Tussock, followed by Patterson’s Curse. The location, approximate area and density of infestation of the nine major pest plants in Upper Lachlan Shire are summarised in Table 1.
Table 1. Priority Pest Plants in Upper Lachlan Shire, July 2004 to June 2008 (opens in new window)
During the current reporting period, Council carried out control activities for all priority weeds, however no information is available on the effectiveness of these control methods for the current reporting period. During 2004 parts of Mulwaree, Gunning and all of Crookwell Councils were amalgamated and the consolidation of weed dispersal data was difficult to document. Ongoing inspection and mapping programs are now enabling more accurate information on weed dispersal to be available. The infested areas are largely dependent on a number of factors including, seasonal conditions, financial viability of the rural sector to conduct control programs and therefore can vary from year to year.
Pest plants as threatening processes
Most of the priority weed species have the potential to negatively impact on biodiversity and native vegetation. Upper Lachlan Shire may have occurrences of four threatened ecological communities listed nationally or in NSW (DECC, 2008a; DECC, 2008b; DEWHA, 2008a) (Note: threatened ecological community lists are generated based on Bioregions). Two threatened ecological communities are listed under the NSW Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995, two are listed under the 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 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 DECC threatened species website, there are five priority actions under the ‘habitat management: weed control’ recovery strategy in the Upper Lachlan Council. These actions apply to five threatened species (three plants and two bats) (DECC, 2008c).
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 within state forests that intersect the Shire.
Pest plant control activities by Upper Lachlan Shire Council
The control of pest plants within the Council area is undertaken according to a Regional and Local Weed Management Plan. Regional weed management plans cover the area for which the Southern Tablelands and South Coast Noxious Plants Committee is responsible. Local weed management plans were prepared in 2002 and 2003 to target local infestations of weeds within the Council area.
Upper Lachlan Shire Council adopted a noxious weeds control policy in May 2009 that aims to put in place a framework to responsibly and effectively eradicate, control and manage noxious weeds within the Upper Lachlan Shire Council area to ensure that agricultural production, biodiversity and the environment are protected. The policy also supplies a list of local priority noxious weeds, these being (in priority order):
- Serrated Tussock
- Chilean Needle Grass
- African Lovegrass
- Fireweed
- Scotch/English Broom
- Gorse
- St John’s Wort
- Blackberry
The policy also details the control programs for weeds on different categories of land. The entire policy can be found on Council’s website.
Paterson's Curse was controlled by an ongoing local control program to reduce spread.
Table 2. Pest plant control in Upper Lachlan Shire, July 2004 to June 2008 (opens in new window)
Control actions for the major weeds within the Upper Lachlan Shire focused largely on prioritising operational and control response, mapping, preventing spread into uninfested areas, controlling all rare and isolated infestations, strategically reducing infestations in marginal and core areas, implementing protocols to prevent seed spread, education and extension, coordinate on-ground control efforts by landholders, apply effective long term management strategies, promote restoration and rehabilitation of affected vegetation.
Weed control methods used within the Shire predominantly involved the use of herbicide, physical removal and cultivation.
Expenditure on and effectiveness of pest plant control
All funding for control of nine of priority weed species was sourced either through Council and NSW DPI. Information on expenditure on control of pest plants within the Council area can be seen on Table 3. A high proportion of funds were spent on controlling Serrated Tussock, with substantial funding allocated to St John's Wort and Blackberry. No figures were available for expenditure during the current reporting period on weed control by community groups or individuals.
During the current reporting period, no information was available to assess the effectiveness resulting from implementation of controls and management plans for priority weeds. Refer to Table 2 to see the total change in relative abundance and spread (as a %) resulting from implementation of controls and management plans for priority weeds between 2001 and 2008, ie. between two reporting periods.
All the weeds within this report are highly persistent and require ongoing control programs which are influenced by seasonal conditions and availability of landholder funds. The aim of all the weed programs is to control infestations, with eradication not practical in most cases. For example infestations of Serrated Tussock are being reduced in years with good pasture growing conditions, however in the recent drought years infestations have again increased despite the continuation of control programs
For information on the breakdown of the percentage of total area treated for each of the nine priority weeds by local Government and individuals (namely farmers), refer to Table 2. No information was available on the breakdown of the percentage of total area treated by community groups for the reporting period.
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, Upper Lachlan Shire Council, viewed 13 October 2008, http://www.threatenedspecies.environment.nsw.gov.au/tsprofile/pas_lga_recovery_details.aspx
?lga=Bega%20Upperlachlan%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
