Priority Weeds

The Northern Tablelands Local Land Services Weeds program is about addressing the impacts of high priority/high risk weed species and the impacts they cause to agricultural and environmental systems on the Northern Tablelands. Currently the program is targeting Tropical Soda Apple in the Upper Macleay Valley as the risk of spread into our region is high.

The Northern Tablelands LLS regional strategic weeds management plan nominates the high priority/high risk weed species and  guides the region on the investment and management of these species depending on funding.

Landholders and community groups that are involved in the Priority Weeds program will partner with Northern Tablelands LLS to contain and, where possible, eradicate the most invasive and high risk weed species in our region. This work will result in improved management at both the farm and regional scale, where government, public and private land managers will work in partnership to address the impacts of these nominated weed species.

Tropical Soda Apple eradication from the Upper Macleay

This project is a follow on from the previous year's projects to contain Tropical Soda Apple (TSA) in the Macleay Valley. This is a follow up to on-ground programs that have been implemented since its discovery in August 2010.  The aim of the project is to:

• Reduce the impact and spread of Tropical Soda Apple in the Macleay Valley by addressing water borne spread in riparian areas.
• Engage the community to contain and reduce infestations on private land.
• Implement and assist in an eradication program as required under the Regional Strategic Weed Management Plan.

The Northern Tablelands Local Land Services is partnering with New England Weeds Authority (NEWA) to carry out the on-ground eradication, containment and community education and engagement for Tropical Soda Apple in the Macleay Valley and target areas in the Armidale Dumaresq Shire.

A TSA Weed Action Team has been established consisting of Gunnedah, Moree, Liverpool Plains, New England Weeds Authority and the Northern Tablelands LLS. The main priority of this project is to maintain the TSA control work already completed in the riparian zone of the Macleay River, in the Northern Tablelands LLS regional boundary.

The Gondwana Shield Project

The project shields the Gondwana World Heritage ecosystems of Washpool/Gibraltar, Oxley Wild Rivers and Tooloom  National Parks from the impacts of invasive weed threats. Invasive grass weed species, Lantana, Tropical Soda Apple and Mexican Water Lily have been identified as the major threats that either are impacting or have the ability to impact if their spread into the National Parks is not contained.

The project uses baseline surveys, monitoring, direct on ground control and engagement of both private and public land managers within the target areas to implement strategic on ground control programs to reduce the threat, spread & impacts of the target priority weed species.

Glen Innes Natural Resource Committee (GLENRAC Landcare) is a partner in project delivery and engages landholders within the 20km engagement target area adjoining the Washpool/Gibraltar National Park to implement a strategic coordinated incentive driven ground control program to complement the program within the adjoining Gwydir highway.

The Oxley Wild Rivers National Park has a large proportion of Gondwana World Heritage within the park boundaries. This project targets invasive weed species Tropical Soda Apple and Lantana within the target area of the Upper Macleay Valley. Lantana is spreading from Georges Junction to West Kunderang along the Macleay River for 20kms. This project also maps the extent of the infestation and then implements an on ground control program.

The project will fully contain Mexican Water Lily to the Gara Dam west of Armidale and continue the control program to eradicate the aquatic weed from the Gara Dam. This will be achieved by implementing a floating weed boom on the Gara Dam to prevent any lose fragments from flowing over the dam wall and moving downstream and to continue to effective control program to reduce the infestations size and density.

The project invests in Lantana control on targeted private land that neighbours the Tooloom Gondwana World Heritage ecosystem. These target areas are site specific and target private land directly adjoining Tooloom Gondwana World Heritage ecosystem or land within close proximity and influence to Tooloom Gondwana World Heritage sites. Private landholders are engaged through Granite Borders Landcare who are also project delivery partners.

For more information about weeds projects, contact Beth Brown on 0429 773 453.