A Weed Management
Strategy for King Island
Prepared by Andrew North
January 2003
© King Island Natural Resource Management Group Inc. This work is protected under Australian Copyright law. The contents and format of this report cannot be used by anyone for any purpose without the written permission of King Island Natural Resource Management Group Inc.
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Table of Contents
1 Vision 1
2 Background 1
3 Challenge 1
4 Goals 2
5 Objectives 3
6 Management Strategies 4
6.1 Identify and characterise priority weeds on King Island 4
6.2 Improve community awareness and knowledge of weed issues on King Island to encourage participation 5
6.3 Responsiveness to State and National legislation and policy and to recognise statutory obligations and to be best placed for funding opportunities 6
6.4 Develop processes that will reduce the risk of introduction and spread of weeds on King Island and to ensure prevention and early intervention 7
6.5 Develop and implement specific weed eradication and control projects and co-ordinate actions and maximise their success 8
7 Species Strategies 10
7.1 Localised species of high threat that should be targeted for eradication 10
7.2 Entrenched species requiring a ‘holding pattern’ of management 12
7.3 Planted exotics that require a strategy of replacement 14
7.4 Coastal weeds that should be excluded from intact native habitats 15
8 Monitoring the Implementation of Weed Management Strategy 16
9 Resourcing the Implementation of the Weed Management
Strategy 17
Appendix 1: Introduced Plant Species on King Island 18
Appendix 2: Weeds of National Significance (WONS) on King Island 23
Appendix 3: Declared Weeds on King Island 24
Appendix 4: Other Priority Weeds On King Island 27
Appendix 5: Species Summaries 29
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1 Vision
To recognise, identify and meet the challenge of tackling the threat of weeds to the natural environment and to agricultural productivity on King Island
2 Background
The King Island Natural Resource Management Group was established to improve the management of King Island’s natural resources and support the implementation of ecologically and economically sustainable development. To achieve this aim the Group has received funding from the Federal Government’s Natural Heritage Trust and from the King Island Council. The Group is implementing several projects to address Natural resource Management issues including weed invasion.
3 Challenge
A weed is often recognised as a plant growing where it is not wanted. This Strategy recognises weeds as non-native species that have naturalised in the environment, distinguishing them from most garden and agricultural plants. There are currently known to be 183 weed species on King Island.
· There are 6 Weeds of National Significance (WONS) on King Island.
· There are records of 21 Declared Weeds on King Island – listed in the Tasmanian Weed Management Act 1999.
· There are a number of weed species that are currently not widespread but are potentially significant threats to the environment and/or to agriculture.
· There are a number of existing projects and management practices that have the potential to worsen the weed problem.
· There is an opportunity to successfully eradicate a number of weed species on King Island.
· There is a need to control and minimise the threat of a number of weed species.
· There is a need to protect important and sensitive environments from the threat of weed species.
4 Goals
To meet the challenge of weed management on King Island there are a number of goals to this strategy.
· To identify and characterise priority weeds on King Island – taking into account social and scientific imperatives to develop appropriate management approaches
· To improve community awareness and knowledge of weed issues on King Island – to encourage participation
· To be responsive to State and National legislation and policy - to recognise statutory obligations and to be best placed for funding opportunities
· To develop processes that will reduce the risk of introduction and spread of weeds on King Island – to ensure prevention and early intervention
· To develop and implement specific weed control and eradication projects - to co-ordinate actions and maximise their success
5 Objectives
These are measurable outcomes for the Strategy to aim for, to achieve its ‘Goals’.
GOALS
To identify and characterise priority weeds on King Island
OBJECTIVES
· Broad community input into identification of priority weeds
· An understanding of existing and potential threats of weed species
· Understanding of the range of weed management approaches
GOALS
To improve community awareness and knowledge of weed issues on King Island
OBJECTIVES
· Broad familiarity with the principles of the Weed Strategy
· Broad recognition of priority weeds
· Ready access to techniques and advice for weed management
· Active public participation with weed management
· A culture of ownership of weed management across the community
GOALS
To be responsive to State and National legislation and policy
OBJECTIVES
· Appointment of a Weed Inspector on King Island
· Involvement with WONS and ‘Declared Weeds’ present on King Island
· Maximised access to funding sources for weed management
GOALS
To develop processes that reduce risk of introduction and spread of weeds on King Island
OBJECTIVES
· Tighter controls (quarantine) on weed introduction to King Island
· Broad community awareness of major causes and sources of weed spread
· ‘Cleaner’ quarries, tips and roadsides
GOALS
To develop and implement specific weed management projects
OBJECTIVES
· A ‘live’ weed mapping system
· Program for early intervention
· Program for containing key weeds at strategic locations
· Protection of significant and sensitive sites / environments
· Demonstration weed management sites
6 Management Strategies
These provide a plan of action that needs to be completed to meet the objectives and reflect the goals
Note the timing is based on an assumption that a Weed Officer will be appointed part time to co-ordinate and implement this strategy. It also assumes the Weed Officer would be appointed as an inspector under the Weed Management Act 1999. The timing of each task relates to the period following the appointment, except where the work can be implemented without this appointment, in which case it is post the Adoption of the Strategy.
Priorities are given as 1 highest and 3 lowest.
6.1 Identify and characterise priority weeds on King Island
Taking into account social and scientific imperatives to develop appropriate management approaches
Objectives:
· Have broad community input into identification of priority weeds
The strategy would be to establish communication with key stakeholders who have knowledge and / or awareness of weeds and their impacts on King Island.
· Understand existing and potential threats of individual species
This requires pulling together current information on the range of typical infestations of prominent weeds. It would be useful to develop brief species summaries that provide information on their known distribution, current impacts and potential threat to both agricultural productivity and native habitats. The nature and characteristic of the infestations and the best approach to tackle these fall into several categories to which the species can be allocated.
Action / Responsibility / Priority / Timing1. / Identify key stakeholders and set up a Steering Committee / KINRMG / 1 / 1 month
2. / Consult with stakeholders / KINRMG / 1 / Aug-Dec 2002
3. / Advertise for public input / KINRMG / 1 / Sep 2002
4. / Identify the weeds on King Island describing their distribution, nature of infestation / Completed / 1 / Aug-Dec 2002
5. / Assess the impacts of each weed species – to agriculture, biodiversity / Completed / 1 / Aug-Dec 2002
6. / Develop an agreed list of priority weeds / Completed / 1 / Aug-Dec 2002
6.2 Improve community awareness and knowledge of weed issues on King Island to encourage participation
Objectives:
· Broad community familiarity with the principles of the KI Weed Strategy
The Weed Management Strategy should be promoted widely, presented to community groups and made available for public comment
· Broad recognition of priority weeds
This can be achieved through the raising of public awareness of priority weeds; what they look like, where they occur and encouraging feedback and input on new outbreaks
· Ready access to techniques and advice for weed management
KINRMG should act as a conduit for providing information on methods of management, technical advice, use of chemicals training etc
· Active public participation with weed management
Co-ordinated programs tackling regions, or particular species; the use of field days demonstration projects etc encourage wider participation.
Action / Responsibility / Priority / Timing7. / Regular features in local paper, radio and other media / KINRMG / 2 / ongoing
8. / Public consultation period on completion of draft WMS / KINRMG / 1 / Aug-Dec 2002
9. / Development of weed pamphlet / kit showing illustrations, photos and maps and mngt advice / KINRMG / 2 / 6 mnths
10. / Collation of existing technical information on weed control techniques for provision to landowners on request. This could detail info on herbicides application, other techniques, type of chemicals, timing of treatment etc / KINRMG / 2 / I mnth and ongoing
11. / Development of field days throughout the year demonstrating control methods for particular species / KINRMG / 2 / Ongoing 1st 12 mnths
12. / Advertise for feed back on weed mapping / KINRMG / 2 / ongoing
13. / Train KI Council staff responsible for on ground works in weed recognition and best practise / KINRMG, KIC, WMU - DPIWE / 2 / 3 mnths
6.3 Responsiveness to State and National legislation and policy and to recognise statutory obligations and to be best placed for funding opportunities
The Tasmanian Weed Management Act 1999 provides for the control and eradication of weeds through a processing of listing ‘declared weeds’ for which statutory weed management plans are developed. Inspectors can be appointed and employed through State and local government or community groups to implement compliance of the Act.
Objectives:
· Appointment of Weed Inspector / Weed Management Officer on King Island
The long term success of a Weed Management Strategy is having ongoing implementation of the actions. There is an active role for an individual to maintain momentum of all the projects, take a proactive role in community liaison and enforce compliance of the Weed Management Act. A case should be put to the King Island Council, with support from the Weed Management Unit, DPIWE, to make such an appointment with attachment to the NRMG.
· Involvement with WONS and ‘Declared Weeds’ present on King Island
State and National policy and legislation provide the framework for achieving successful weed control and eradication. There needs to be consistency between the commitments of the King Island Weed Management Strategy and the Weed Management Plans for each species developed under the auspices of the WMA 1999 and the WONS process.
· Maximised access to funding sources for weed management
Weed management priorities recognised through State and National processes provide the most likely source for funding the implementation of the wed Management Strategy. It is important to have in place costed programs for weed control and eradication which can be cited in applications for funding this projects.
Action / Responsibility / Priority / Timing14. / Gain Weed Mngt Unit, DPIWE, support for Strategy / KINRMG / 1 / Dec 2002
15. / Formal presentation to King Island Council of WMP and submission for funding a Weed Inspector / KINRMG / 1 / Dec 2002
16. / Review all Weed Mngt Plans and provide comment during public consultation period / KINRMG / 1 / ongoing
17. / Review need for additional listing of Declared weeds and make formal nominations where appropriate / KINRMG / 2 / ongoing
18. / Identify species for eradication and those for control / completed / 2 / Aug-Dec 2002
19. / Develop costed eradication plans / KINRMG / 2 / 6 mnths
20. / Develop costed control programs / KINRMG / 3 / 6 mnths
6.4 Develop processes that will reduce the risk of introduction and spread of weeds on King Island and to ensure prevention and early intervention
Objectives:
· Tighter controls (quarantine) on weed introduction to King Island
King Island is well placed, due to its geographic isolation, to strictly manage the introduction of weeds and to apply existing quarantine measures for fruit and vegetables to introduction of plant material.
· Broad community awareness of major causes and sources of weed spread
There are particular activities and features that are a major source and vector for the spreading of weeds eg treatment of garden waste, the plant selection for garden, landscaping and broader revegetation projects.
· ‘Cleaner’ quarries, tips and roadsides
The use of rubbish tips for dumping garden waste and roadside spoil, activities at quarries and roadside management practises are key sources for weed spread.
Action / Responsibility / Priority / Timing21. / Training of quarantine officers in weed recognition. / DPIWE / 2 / 6 mnths
22. / Funding for more intensive inspections at ports and airport / DPIWE / 2 / ongoing
23. / Controls on sale of priority species - nurseries / KINRMG / 3 / ongoing
24. / Code of practise on transport of livestock and farm produce / DPIWE
KINRMG / 3 / 12 mnths
25. / Inspection and weed eradication of quarries, lime sand sources and gravel crushing plants. Train appropriate staff / KINRMG
KIC / 2 / 3 mnths
26. / Strategy for management of garden waste at rubbish tips / KINRMG
KIC / 3 / 6 mnths
27. / Mapping of weeds on roadsides / KINRMG
KIC
DIER / 2 / 12 mnths
28. / Develop guidelines for slashing and shoulder management in weed infested roadsides / KINRMG
KIC
DIER / 3 / 12 mnths
29. / Prioritise program for roadside weed management / KINRMG
KIC
DIER / 2 / 12 mnths
6.5 Develop and implement specific weed eradication and control projects and co-ordinate actions and maximise their success
To achieve this Goal would require a dedicated position in KINRMG or KI Council.