Press Release: NEW FUNDING REQUIRED FOR WEEDS CONTROL CAMP
Core Invasive Plants Unit: NEW FUNDING REQUIRED FOR WEEDS CONTROL CAMPAIGN:
Members of Queanbeyan Landcare Inc. are urging Queanbeyan Council to strongly upgrade the level of priority accorded to the control of invasive species, particularly weeds, through the creation of a Core Invasive Species Unit with considerably more resources. A submission is being presented by Landcare to Council as part of its 2006-2007 Management Plan Budget.
Ian Frakes, Chair of Queanbeyan Landcare explained that the Landcare proposal is for Council to ‘invest’ more resources in the control of invasive plants to give Council more flexibility to efficiently and more strategically manage a suite of serious declared and environmental weeds. Action is required in both the rural and urban areas of Queanbeyan. “ If we are to have any chance of reducing their impact in the long term, we need to embark on a comprehensive weed strategy involving the community. This is essential also if Council is to fulfil its legislative requirements.”
“The impact of a number of noxious and environmental weeds is increasing in the Queanbeyan Shire as well as adjoining areas of the ACT and Palerang Shire, such as St Johns Wort, Serrated Tussock, Pattersons Curse, invasive willows and blackberries and concerns have been raised by a number of unrelated communities and organisations” said Mr Frakes. “There is growing concern about the continual spread of African Lovegrass (Eragrostis Curvula) throughout city and rural roads with little apparent control effort as resources are directed elsewhere. This weed alone, if not controlled, has the potential to destroy agriculture and native grasslands, as has occurred in the Upper Murrumbidgee Valley. Recent mass germinations have just occurred along a number of our rural roads.”
The Landcare submission states that Council needs to expend up to $115,000 in new money per year for a new vehicle, new equipment, a Weeds Education Officer (as Cooma Monaro Shire Council does) and a dedicated publicity campaign
This is essential to enable Council to be acting both in the rural context within expanded boundaries and the urban and peri-urban (rural subdivision) area
These extra resources will allow a stepping up the public education and liaison which is critical to getting some 15,000 Queanbeyan households informed through the media, rates notices and web site information, on the highest weed priorities and be part of the solution and not the problem:
The new resource unit can free up more resources on the properties Inspection program and critical follow-up and to work more cooperatively with the ACT and Palerang
A sustained Weeds Campaign also requires regular staff training, new technologies in training such as mapping and monitoring and also implementing a larger range of biological control.
Council has new obligations under its Management Plans for Mt Jerrabomberra, Jerrabomberra Creek, Queanbeyan River and other sensitive natural areas with a number of threatened species, as well as the margins of several newly gazetted Nature Reserves.
“The additional resources can to a significant extent pay for itself by working for other agencies. The new resource unit can also second for other purposes in quiet times, (windy, wet weather) such as the ever-increasing demands for fire retardation zones
“Landcare would welcome the opportunity to work with Council to review its current approaches and develop a broad plan, assess resource needs and obtain advocacy support for the optimal outcome for the community and the environment” Said Mr Frakes. “ This may require the employment of an expert to evaluate individual weed species and overall strategies, including prevention of future invasions in clean areas .”
Mr Tom Baker, Landcare Publicity Officer, stated that enlisting Contractors cannot always provide Council with the flexibility, continuity and corporate ownership that is needed in a long term weed campaign, where dedication and continuous community contact will be essential.
“What greatly concerns Landcare members and member of many other groups, is that if we don’t invest the resources in this critical area, future generations will have to bear the horrendous cost of greatly escalated invasions of serious weeds” said Mr Baker. “This includes the emergence of potential new agricultural, environmental and amenity weeds – future ratepayers ‘will not be happy’ with the legacy they will inherit from us. Invasive weeds arguably constitutes the most serious and widespread natural resource and environmental threat in South East Australia.
“Local Government is central to a ‘wage war on weeds campaign’ and we understand that Council’s Weeds Control Officer and the Parks, Gardens and Conservation Section supports the need to put additional effort into controlling weeds with the maximum community effort.”
“Most residents are not aware of the impact of weeds and are not able to identify weeds. There is a specially urgent need for an education program to adequately implement Council’s current African Lovegrass control Strategy” said Mr Baker.
The Total Weeds Campaign proposal is supported by a number of community organisations including the Molonglo Catchment Group, the Monaro Conservation Society, Fernleigh Park Landcare, Carwoola Landcare, Royalla Landcare, Friends of Grassland and the Conservation Council of South East Region and Canberra.
Members of Queanbeyan Landcare Inc. are urging Queanbeyan Council to strongly upgrade the level of priority accorded to the control of invasive species, particularly weeds, through the creation of a Core Invasive Species Unit with considerably more resources. A submission is being presented by Landcare to Council as part of its 2006-2007 Management Plan Budget.
Ian Frakes, Chair of Queanbeyan Landcare explained that the Landcare proposal is for Council to ‘invest’ more resources in the control of invasive plants to give Council more flexibility to efficiently and more strategically manage a suite of serious declared and environmental weeds. Action is required in both the rural and urban areas of Queanbeyan. “ If we are to have any chance of reducing their impact in the long term, we need to embark on a comprehensive weed strategy involving the community. This is essential also if Council is to fulfil its legislative requirements.”
“The impact of a number of noxious and environmental weeds is increasing in the Queanbeyan Shire as well as adjoining areas of the ACT and Palerang Shire, such as St Johns Wort, Serrated Tussock, Pattersons Curse, invasive willows and blackberries and concerns have been raised by a number of unrelated communities and organisations” said Mr Frakes. “There is growing concern about the continual spread of African Lovegrass (Eragrostis Curvula) throughout city and rural roads with little apparent control effort as resources are directed elsewhere. This weed alone, if not controlled, has the potential to destroy agriculture and native grasslands, as has occurred in the Upper Murrumbidgee Valley. Recent mass germinations have just occurred along a number of our rural roads.”
The Landcare submission states that Council needs to expend up to $115,000 in new money per year for a new vehicle, new equipment, a Weeds Education Officer (as Cooma Monaro Shire Council does) and a dedicated publicity campaign
This is essential to enable Council to be acting both in the rural context within expanded boundaries and the urban and peri-urban (rural subdivision) area
These extra resources will allow a stepping up the public education and liaison which is critical to getting some 15,000 Queanbeyan households informed through the media, rates notices and web site information, on the highest weed priorities and be part of the solution and not the problem:
The new resource unit can free up more resources on the properties Inspection program and critical follow-up and to work more cooperatively with the ACT and Palerang
A sustained Weeds Campaign also requires regular staff training, new technologies in training such as mapping and monitoring and also implementing a larger range of biological control.
Council has new obligations under its Management Plans for Mt Jerrabomberra, Jerrabomberra Creek, Queanbeyan River and other sensitive natural areas with a number of threatened species, as well as the margins of several newly gazetted Nature Reserves.
“The additional resources can to a significant extent pay for itself by working for other agencies. The new resource unit can also second for other purposes in quiet times, (windy, wet weather) such as the ever-increasing demands for fire retardation zones
“Landcare would welcome the opportunity to work with Council to review its current approaches and develop a broad plan, assess resource needs and obtain advocacy support for the optimal outcome for the community and the environment” Said Mr Frakes. “ This may require the employment of an expert to evaluate individual weed species and overall strategies, including prevention of future invasions in clean areas .”
Mr Tom Baker, Landcare Publicity Officer, stated that enlisting Contractors cannot always provide Council with the flexibility, continuity and corporate ownership that is needed in a long term weed campaign, where dedication and continuous community contact will be essential.
“What greatly concerns Landcare members and member of many other groups, is that if we don’t invest the resources in this critical area, future generations will have to bear the horrendous cost of greatly escalated invasions of serious weeds” said Mr Baker. “This includes the emergence of potential new agricultural, environmental and amenity weeds – future ratepayers ‘will not be happy’ with the legacy they will inherit from us. Invasive weeds arguably constitutes the most serious and widespread natural resource and environmental threat in South East Australia.
“Local Government is central to a ‘wage war on weeds campaign’ and we understand that Council’s Weeds Control Officer and the Parks, Gardens and Conservation Section supports the need to put additional effort into controlling weeds with the maximum community effort.”
“Most residents are not aware of the impact of weeds and are not able to identify weeds. There is a specially urgent need for an education program to adequately implement Council’s current African Lovegrass control Strategy” said Mr Baker.
The Total Weeds Campaign proposal is supported by a number of community organisations including the Molonglo Catchment Group, the Monaro Conservation Society, Fernleigh Park Landcare, Carwoola Landcare, Royalla Landcare, Friends of Grassland and the Conservation Council of South East Region and Canberra.
# posted by Chair QBN Landcare @ 4:12 pm 
