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Bulletins 4000 - Research Publications

10-2001

Weed plan for Western Australia Weed plan for Western Australia

State Weed Plan Steering Group, Department of Agriculture and Food, Western Australia

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Part of the Natural Resources and Conservation Commons, Natural Resources Management and

Policy Commons, Plant Breeding and Genetics Commons, and the Weed Science Commons

Recommended Citation Recommended Citation State Weed Plan Steering Group, Department of Agriculture and Food, Western Australia. (2001), Weed plan

for Western Australia. Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, Western Australia, Perth. Bulletin 4490.

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© Chief Executive Officer, Department of Agriculture 2001. This material may be reprinted provided that the source is acknowledged.Published by the Department of Agriculture, Locked Bag No. 4, Bentley Delivery Centre WA 6983, Australia.

October 2001

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Bulletin 4490ISSN 1326-415X

A WEED PLAN FOR WESTERN AUSTRALIA

Prepared by the

STATE WEED PLAN STEERING GROUP

Western Australia’s State Weed Planii

Western Australia’s State Weed Plan iii

One of the most significant environmental challenges facing Western Australia is theminimisation of the impact of weeds. In the relatively short history of this State sinceEuropean settlement, some 1155 exotic plant species have established as weeds in ourdiverse and generally fragile ecosystems. While development for agriculture, mining,transport and housing must by its nature result in some change to the State’s flora, theintroduction of weedy plant species has caused serious impacts which cause great con-cern.

Weeds now pose a serious threat to many of the State’s ecosystems, and impose highannual costs on agricultural industries. Weeds pose a more widespread risk to the State’sbioregions than does salinity, recognised as Western Australia’s most serious environ-mental challenge. Without a substantial change in the way weed problems are tackled,the long-term impact of weeds on the economy, environment and community may ap-proach, or even exceed, that of salinity.

Development of A Weed Plan for Western Australia (referred to as the ‘State Weed Plan’)was initiated because a wide range of community, industry and government stakeholdersrecognised that there “had to be a better way” of reducing the impact of weeds.

The need for a closely coordinated approach, with appropriate participation at all lev-els, led to the establishment of the State Weed Plan Steering Group in March 1999 withmembership broadly representative of stakeholders and issues. I commend and thankthe Steering Group members for the commitment, innovation and cooperation they havebrought to the development of the draft plan.

The principles on which the State Weed Plan is based, the broad approach adopted inframing a way forward, and the identified priorities have been presented to a wide rangeof stakeholders. Once again, the commitment of these Western Australians to developinga better way of managing weeds has resulted in very constructive input. Comments pro-vided through public meetings and 80 submissions have been incorporated where ap-propriate.

The State Weed Plan is, by necessity, a broad, over-arching document in which it is notpossible to provide full details of all current, planned and recommended activities. Con-siderable work has been completed toward drafting a State Weed Action Plan, which willbe the work plan for implementing the State Weed Plan. The input of all stakeholders hascontributed to development of the draft Action Plan.

The State Weed Plan Steering Group looks forward to your commitment to implement-ing activities relevant to the priorities outlined in the State Weed Plan. Formal considera-tion by government, industry and community organisations with respect to initial priori-ties for implementation should result in more effective, efficient action against the State’smost serious weed problems.

Rob DelaneCHAIRMANSTATE WEED PLAN STEERING GROUP9 September 2001

FOREWORD

Western Australia’s State Weed Planiv

ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS

AABR Australian Association of BushRegenerators

ABS Australian Bureau of StatisticsAGWEST Department of AgricultureANZECC Australian and New Zealand

Environmental and ConservationCouncil

APB Agriculture Protection BoardAQIS Australian Quarantine and

Inspection ServiceARRPA Agriculture and Related Resources

Protection Act 1976ARMCANZ Agriculture and Resource

Management Council of Australiaand New Zealand

AWC Australian Weeds CommitteeCALM Department of Conservation and

Land ManagementCAWSS Council of Australian Weed

Science SocietiesCRC Cooperative Research CentreCSIRO Commonwealth Scientific and

Industrial Research OrganisationDOLA Department of Land

AdministrationDEP Department of Environmental

ProtectionEWAN Environmental Weeds Action

Network (Inc.)EWSWA Environmental Weed Strategy for

Western AustraliaGISP Global Invasive Species Program

(of the IUCN)GRDC Grains Research and Development

CorporationIBRA Interim Biogeographical

Regionalisation for AustraliaIUCN The World Conservation Union

(formerly International Union forthe Conservation of Nature andNatural resources)

IWM Integrated Weed ManagementLCDC Land Conservation District

CommitteeLGA Local Government AuthorityMFP Ministry for PlanningMRWA Main Roads Western AustraliaNGIA Nursery and Garden Industry

Australia (was NIAA)

NGIWA Nursery and Garden IndustryAustralia Western Australia(was NIAWA)

NHT Natural Heritage TrustNRM Natural Resource ManagementNWCC National Weedbuster

Coordinating CommitteeNWS National Weeds StrategyNWSEC National Weeds Strategy

Executive CommitteeOCPPO Office of the Chief Plant Protection

OfficerPHA Plant Health AustraliaPPS Plant Protection Society of WA

(Inc.)RAC Regional Advisory CommitteeR&D Research and DevelopmentRCC Roadside Conservation

CommitteeSCARM Standing Committee on

Agriculture and ResourceManagement

SEWG State Environmental Weed Group(proposed in EWSWA)

SIA Seed Industry AssociationSLCC Soil and Land Conservation

CouncilSWCC State Weed Coordinating CouncilSWP State Weed PlanUWA The University of Western

AustraliaUBC Urban Bushland CouncilWAG Weed Action GroupWAHRI Western Australian Herbicide

Resistance InitiativeWAMA Western Australian Municipal

AssociationWeeds CRC Cooperative Research Centre for

Australian Weed ManagementWIN Weed Information NetworkWONS Weeds of National SignificanceWOSS Weeds of State SignificanceWRC Water and Rivers Commission

Western Australia’s State Weed Plan 1

Foreword iiiAcronyms ivExecutive Summary 3

1. Introduction 51.1 What is a Weed? 51.2 Weeds in Western Australia 61.3 National Weeds Strategy 6

2. Principles of Weed Management2.1 Sustainable Natural Resource Management 82.2 Prevention is easier than a cure 82.3 Risk and Hazard Assessment 82.4 Setting priorities 92.5 Coordination and responsibility of landholders 92.6 Plan of action 102.7 Revision and monitoring 10

3. Components of the State Weed Plan 11Component 1: Coordination, integration and public awareness 13

Recommendations 1.1–1.9 15

Component 2: Roles and responsibilities 16Recommendations 2.1–2.3 19

Component 3: Priorities and planning 20Recommendations 3.1–3.10 21

Component 4: Introduction and spread 22Recommendations 4.1–4.11 25

Component 5: Integrated weed management 26Recommendations 5.1–5.6 27

Component 6: Policy support and regulation 28Recommendations 6.1–6.6 31

Component 7: Resources 32Recommendations 7.1–7.9 35

Component 8: Education, training and research 36Recommendations 8.1–8.7 37

Component 9: Monitoring and evaluation 38Recommendations 9.1–9.7 39

References 41Valuable Internet Sites 42Members of the State Weed Plan Steering Group 43Funding 43State Weed Plan Steering Group 44

CONTENTS

Western Australia’s State Weed Plan2

We all benefitfrom action

against weeds

where do weeds impact?contaminate

products

stockfeed

contaminants inpacking or filling

secondhandmachinery

imported peat and potting mixes

new pasturespecies

dumping of lawnclippings

and garden waste

new cropspecies

on fleece, skins orinside imported

animals

gifts/souvenirsmade from or

containing seed

contaminants inbulk seed

consignments

people movingwith their

garden plants

earthmovingmachinery

new horticultural species

ballast waste

lawnseed

new machinery orequipment

that has been storedoutside

birdseed

internet and mailorder

seeds and bulbs

products with intact seed(e.g. herbal medicines and

foodstuffs)

loss of overseasmarkets

lower cropyields

damage valuablemicro

environmentsreduction inbiodiversitymodify soil chemistry

modify ecosystem functions

increase extinctionrates

genetic pollution

off target impactsof control

modified fire regimes

water quality and quantity

changes in hydrology

food source orshelter for

agricultural pests

increased machinerycosts

invadegardens

reduce agriculturaldiversity orpotential

hosts for diseases orpests

injure or poisonstock

lower stockingrates

reduce or prevent access

increased use of pesticides damage foundations

reducing visibility along roadshuman safety

hay fever or asthmalower land valuesrecreationalrestrictionsdisrupt telecommunications,

power, or other essentialsupplies

contact dermatitis

hinderharvesting

how do weeds enter and establish?

what problems do weeds cause?


EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The State Weed Plan has been developed to help achieve coordinated, effective weedmanagement throughout Western Australia.

Western Australia comprises one-third of the Australian land mass and contains a highdiversity of natural ecosystems and primary production areas. Weeds pose a serious threatto such diversity and will only be effectively managed through strategies that success-fully integrate existing knowledge and innovation with human effort and other resourcesat state, regional and local levels.

All Western Australians can help reduce the impact of weeds on the economy, environ-ment, natural resources and human health. This can be achieved through choices aboutthe plants we grow for pleasure or profit, how we dispose of plant wastes, how we man-age the land under our control, and our contribution to weed management on publiclands and support for publicly funded weed management activities. The way we use ourland can dramatically reduce the impact and spread of weeds. Local communities havethe most detailed knowledge of public and private land in their area and are the frontlinein prevention of, surveillance for, and action against, harmful weeds.

In order to achieve cost-effective weed management, a coordinated approach involvingall levels of government, industry, community and individual landholders is required.The State Weed Plan offers such an approach through raising the awareness of all West-ern Australians of weed problems, by providing opportunities for their involvement inweed management through integrated and prioritised programs, and by support serv-ices for landholder and community action.

The State Weed Plan has been established with the following vision and goal:

The State Weed Plan is based on the following principles.

• Weed management is an essential component of sustainable natural resource man-agement.

• Prevention, early detection and early intervention are the most cost-effective meansof weed management.

• Effective weed management requires a long-term commitment from managers ofboth private and public land.

• Effective weed management requires a coordinated approach involving all relevantstakeholders.

• Appropriate and effective policy and legal frameworks are required to support thestatewide management of weeds.

• A simple and effective priority setting and planning process is required to bestutilise available weed management resources.

VISION: Healthy and resilient landscapes where weed impacts on environmental values and primaryproduction are minimised

GOAL: To achieve coordinated, collaborative and effective weed management throughout Western Australia


• Maintaining public awareness, information, training and research services is anessential part of weed management.

• Contributions to weed management costs will reflect the relative importance ofeach weed problem and will be shared by the contributors to the problem and thebeneficiaries of that management.

• Government will consider support for weed management where economic, envi-ronmental and community benefits are demonstrated and technically sound solu-tions are available or warrant development.

The Weed Plan for Western Australia considers weeds on land and in waterways. ThePlan does not include the marine environment.

The State Weed Plan advocates the establishment of a broad, skills-based State WeedCoordinating Council to facilitate the implementation of the Plan.

Key actions under the Plan will include the following activities.

• Increase public awareness to gain community acceptance of the significance of weedsand their responsibilities for weed management.

• Coordinate weed management planning, implementation and monitoring acrossall land.

• Encourage cooperative local and regional programs based on assessed priorities.

• Apply risk assessment methodology for determining weed management prioritiesin coordinated management programs.

• Encourage the development and implementation of efficient processes for the iden-tification, reporting and removal of new and existing weed infestations.

• Promote weed management as an integrated process based on the principles ofsustainable natural resource management.

• Establish an appropriate policy and legislative base for effective management of allserious weeds across the State.

• Ensure efficient use of new and existing resources in weed management.

• Monitor regularly the implementation and effectiveness of all aspects of the StateWeed Plan.

• Encourage all public land and private land managers to act as ‘Good Neighbours’.

• Recognise the role and expertise of volunteers in weed management.

The achievement of the objectives of the State Weed Plan will be realised through thecooperation of all organisations and individuals in Western Australia who will benefitfrom effective management of weeds – and that is all of us.


1. INTRODUCTION

management of existing weeds and to limit theintroduction and establishment of new weed spe-cies. Implementation of the State Weed Plan willalso implement the Environmental Weed Strat-egy for Western Australia developed in 1999.

The National Weeds Strategy defines a weed as“a plant which has, or has the potential to have, adetrimental effect on economic, social or conser-vation values” (ARMCANZ, ANZECC and For-estry Ministers, 1997).

Weeds can be plants from other countries, orspecies from other regions of Australia or theState. Not all weeds are equally important. Manyintroduced economic plants do not becomeweeds, while others do and are very invasive andpotentially damaging to natural ecosystems.Some plants do not appear to change the compo-sition, structure or function of the natural or pro-duction systems they invade. Others are capableof completely dominating and changing the plantcommunities they invade.

There are some 1155 identified weeds in West-ern Australia, about half the number of recognisedweeds in Australia. Many ecosystems are severelydegraded by weeds. Competition from weeds isa major threatening process for rare flora and eco-logical communities.

Western Australia comprises over one-third ofthe Australian land mass, with a total area ofabout 2.5 million square kilometres. Over 40 percent of Australia’s bioregions (see textbox) arefound within the State, including tropical ‘dry’rainforest and savannah woodlands in the north,sandy deserts and spinifex plains in the centre,and sandplain heaths, mallee and tall temperateforests in the south-west. These natural featuresare contained within a landscape modified by thedevelopment of agriculture, mining, urbanisationand transport corridors.

New plants have been introduced to WesternAustralia since the beginning of settlement for ag-ricultural, horticultural, gardening, forestry, com-mercial and cultural reasons. Many of these de-liberate or accidental introductions have become,or have the potential to become, weeds.

Weeds are a significant threat to primary pro-duction, biodiversity and conservation values ofWestern Australia. With around 13,000 nativeplant species, Western Australia has one of themost diverse floras of any region in the world,with many species being threatened by weeds.Vertebrate and invertebrate fauna are also affectedby weeds.

Weeds also increase the risk of fire, increasecosts to infrastructure maintenance and reducethe amenity of recreation areas. Some weeds havewell documented and sometimes serious affectson human health.

Sustainable land use is dependent on the reten-tion of natural ecosystem functions to preventnatural resource degradation. Weeds have thepotential to adversely alter ecosystem function,reduce primary industry productivity and prof-itability and seriously limit the long-termsustainability of all the State’s agricultural andnatural landscapes.

The serious threat posed by weeds will only beeffectively and efficiently managed by integrat-ing existing knowledge and innovation with co-ordinated human effort and other resources.

The State Weed Plan provides a framework thatencourages and supports people in Western Aus-tralia to work together to achieve more effective

BIOREGION: A territory defined by a combination ofbiological, social and geographic criteria rather thanby geopolitical considerations; generally, a system ofrelated, interconnected ecosystems.

1.1 What is a Weed?


In Western Australia’s agricultural systems,weed control costs have been estimated at 20 percent of production costs, representing as muchas $60 per hectare for some grain crops.

Weed invasion is considered to be a significantthreat to natural ecosystems and its cost is diffi-cult to measure in monetary terms. No accuratefigures are available on the substantial fundsspent on the control of weeds by public and pri-vate land managers, nor on the time spent byvolunteers in weed management.

The objective of the National Weeds Strategy,released in 1997, is to “exclude the introductionof new weeds and strengthen action against thosethat are already established”. The strategy focuseson Weeds of National Significance (WONS) (seeTable 1.) which have been defined from a largergroup of serious weeds by applying criteria re-lating to invasiveness, current location in relationto potential spread, and the potential and currentimpacts on primary industry, environment andsocial values. The strategy encourages comple-mentary State, regional and local weed plans.Western Australia is participating in the nationalcoordinated action against WONS.

1.2 Weeds in Western Australia 1.3 National Weeds Strategy


Table 1. The 20 Weeds of National Significance. See <www.weeds.org.au> for more information about WONS.

COMMON NAME(S) SCIENTIFIC NAME STATUS IN WESTERN AUSTRALIA

alligator weed Alternanthera philoxeroides Declared Plant, known to be in cultivation in Perth and target foreradication

athel pine Tamarix aphylla Widespread in cultivation and naturalised

bitou bush/boneseed Chrysanthemoides monilifera Both Declared, boneseed has been found naturalised and incultivation, bitou bush is not known to be present in WesternAustralia

blackberry Rubus fruticosus agg. Declared Plant, widespread in south-west and subject tobiocontrol by the rust fungus Phragmidium violaceum

bridal creeper Asparagus asparagoides Widely naturalised through the south-west, also in cultivation,a target for biocontrol by the bridal creeper leaf hopper(BCLH) Zygina sp.

cabomba Cabomba caroliniana Declared Plant subject to eradication, in cultivation as it was inthe aquarium trade, not known to be naturalised

Chilean needle grass Nassella neesiana Not known to be present in Western Australia

gorse Ulex europaeus Declared Plant naturalised around Albany

hymenachne Hymenachne amplexicaulis Prohibited from entry but possibly already sown in the Kimberley

lantana Lantana camara Common in cultivation, also naturalised

mesquite Prosopis spp. Declared Plant, naturalised in the north-west, particularly thePilbara, a target for biological control

mimosa Mimosa pigra Declared Plant, not known to be present in Western Australia

parkinsonia Parkinsonia aculeata Declared Plant, naturalised in the north-west

parthenium weed Parthenium hysterophorus Declared Plant, not known to be present in Western Australia

pond apple Annona glabra Not known to be present in Western Australia

prickly acacia Acacia nilotica ssp. indica Declared Plant, not known to be present in Western Australia

rubber vine Cryptostegia grandiflora Declared Plant subject to eradication, has been found in theKimberley and in the nursery trade in Perth

salvinia Salvinia molesta Declared Plant subject to eradication, commonly found incultivation throughout Western Australia and occasionally innurseries and pet shops, occasionally naturalised

serrated tussock Nassella trichotoma Not known to be present in Western Australia

willows except weepingwillows, pussy willow andsterile pussy willow

Salix spp.except S. babylonica,S. x calodendron and

S. x reichardtii

Apart from S. babylonica, S. x calodendron andS. x reichardtii, all Salix spp. are prohibited from entry toWestern Australia but several species are in cultivation


Successful action against weeds will requirecoordinated action based on the following keyprinciples of weed management.

The National Strategy for Ecologically Sustain-able Development, adopted by the Common-wealth Government in 1992, has the followingcore objectives.

• Enhance individual and community welfareby following a path of economic developmentthat safeguards the welfare of future genera-tions.

• Provide for equity within and between gen-erations.

• Protect biological diversity and maintain es-sential ecological processes and life supportsystems.

The sustainability of Western Australia’s natu-ral resource base is threatened through the im-pacts of weeds on biodiversity and primary pro-duction.

By their nature, agricultural and pastoral landuses result in significant modification of the origi-nal ecosystem, as do land use changes for urban,mining and service/infrastructure development.The current and future challenge is to sustain pro-ductive land use whilst retaining ecosystem func-tion to maintain viability and biodiversity. Envi-ronmentally responsible weed management isessential in order to improve productivity, reducecosts and retain functional ecosystems.

Prevention, early detection and rapid interven-tion are the best strategies, and in many cases theonly effective strategies, that can be used to avoidlong-term weed management costs and impacts.Western Australia is currently free from manydamaging weeds whilst others are limited in theirspread. Vigilance is required at quarantine check-

2. PRINCIPLES OF WEED MANAGEMENT

points, where seeds and plants are sold, wheresoil, animals, machinery and plant produce ismoved, and wherever a new weed infestation isdetected.

Weed species present different levels of risk andhazard in different bioregions and productionsystems. Both risk and hazard are essential com-ponents in helping to define priorities for weedprevention and management.

The term ‘risk’ refers to the probability that adeleterious event may occur. The risk of a weedestablishing in a new location increases with prox-imity to an existing infestation and increasing ef-fectiveness of dispersal mechanisms, such asseeds spread by wind, by bird and animal faecesor through transport of agricultural commodities.

The term ‘hazard’ refers to the potential impactof a species. Thus the hazard presented by a non-invasive species with slow growth, few viableseeds and narrow habitat requirements may below. Conversely, a species presents a high hazardif it reproduces rapidly, and can rapidly domi-nate the landscape (see Figures 1 and 2).

Weed risk assessment for import quarantineexamines aspects of the known biology, particu-larly reproductive biology, ecology and behav-iour. For species already present within WesternAustralia, local knowledge can be used, togetherwith assessing the potential distribution by us-ing climatic matching software.

Criteria for determining the potential hazard forweed species have been developed by a numberof Australian and overseas agencies, usually as away to set priorities for weed management. Meas-ures of invasiveness and potential distribution arecommon to all models, as are potential impactson biodiversity and socio-economic impacts.

2.2 Prevention is easier than a cure

2.3 Risk and hazard assessment2.1 Sustainable Natural Resource

Management


.

A system of setting priorities for weed manage-ment is critical to ensure that resources are fo-cused to maximise the benefits of management.Priorities for weed management can be set interms of weed species (weed-led control), or interms of assets to be defended (site-led control).These assets may include, but are not limited to,natural systems, crops, or catchments.

Weed priorities will change over time as effec-tive means of control are found for some species,and as other species reach their potential distri-bution limits. This may include ‘sleeper’ species,which initially appear to have limited distribu-tion and impact, but may later be serious weeds.

There are a number of appropriate models forprioritising weeds. One model has been devel-oped for the National Weeds Strategy to deter-mine a short list of WONS.

The Environmental Weed Strategy for WesternAustralia (EWSWA) prioritised 1155 weed speciesbased on measures of invasiveness, distribution(present and potential) and environmental im-pacts.

A ranking system has been developed for theState Weed Plan (Randall, 2000). The criteria usedfor ranking species include invasiveness, impactsand present and potential distribution. The site-led (high value sites) and weed-led (threateningspecies) system developed by the New ZealandDepartment of Conservation is also useful(Timmins and Owen, 2001).

All land owners and managers have a respon-sibility to preserve and protect the land for fu-ture generations. This includes all land undertheir control, whether in active use or not. Landincludes associated water resources which can beat considerable risk from aquatic weeds. A col-lective action is required where the weed man-agement problem exceeds the capacity of indi-vidual landowners.

Therefore, in order to achieve effective weedmanagement a coordinated approach involvingindividual landholders as well as all levels of

2.4 Setting priorities

2.5 Coordination and responsibility of landholders

Figure 1. Low risk - despite being widely cultivated, safflower(Carthamus tinctorious) is found rarely as a roadside weed.Photo by Charles Webber, used with permission of theCalifornia Academy Sciences.

Figure 2. High risk - saffron thistle (Carthamus lanatus) is awidespread weed of crops, roadsides and remnant vegetation


government, industry and community is re-quired.

Different land uses and people’s different per-ceptions of the impact or benefit of the same plantcan cause conflict (see Figures 3 and 4). It is de-sirable for landowners to adopt a ‘Good Neigh-bour’ approach to ensure that the level of weedmanagement adopted on their property does notadversely impact on neighbouring properties.

Government needs to ensure that an appropri-ate framework of legislation, awareness, coordi-nation, research and education is in place to man-age weeds. It is important for government to pro-vide leadership and coordination in weed man-agement through its commitment to managingweeds on land under its control.

The State Weed Plan will only be effective if rel-evant stakeholders take up opportunities and as-sume responsibilities for implementing its recom-mendations. Immediate development and imple-mentation of a State Weed Action Plan by the pro-posed State Weed Coordinating Council is rec-ommended.

This Action Plan should identify roles and re-sponsibilities, actions, proposed outcomes, re-source requirements and timelines. It should alsoinclude performance criteria to assess the effec-tiveness of the strategies.

Although the State Weed Plan will provide asound basis for integrated and adaptable man-agement of Western Australia’s weeds, the pri-orities, control methodologies and community ex-pectations will change over time. Therefore, it isimportant that the State Weed Plan is reviewedregularly to ensure its ongoing relevance.

A monitoring program will assist in assessingthe effectiveness of the plan. The monitoring pro-gram will need to clearly identify what will bemonitored, how and by whom. For example, lo-cal and regional monitoring data could be collatedand analysed and used to provide feedback inregard to specific initiatives and progress againsthigh priority weeds.

2.6 Plan of action

2.7 Revision and monitoring

Figure 3. Tagasaste (Chamaecytisus palmensis) providesuseful fodder, but can invade remnant vegetation.

Figure 4. Introduced as a garden plant, Paterson’s curse(Echium plantagineum) is used by beekeepers for honey yet is aserious weed of agriculture, roadsides and remnant vegetation.


The State Weed Plan is based on the followingapproaches:

• All people in Western Australia have a roleto play in minimising the impact of weeds.

• Effective weed management can only beachieved through a coordinated approachinvolving all levels of government, industry,community and individual landholders.

3. COMPONENTS OF THE STATE WEED PLAN

Commonwealth State Regional Local Property/Patch

Effective actionagainstweeds

Figure 5. Effective weed management requires appropriate action at all levels.

• Effective weed management will requirefocus on small geographic areas (patch/property and local) with support and coordi-nation provided at an appropriate level(regional, State and national). See Figure 5.


The State Weed Plan establishes a frameworkfor action based on the nine components anddesired outcomes listed below.

1. Coordination, Integration and PublicAwarenessCoordinated and effective participation ofland and water managers and users, policymakers and other stakeholders in weedmanagement.

2. Roles and ResponsibilitiesStakeholders aware of and committed totheir roles and responsibilities in weedmanagement.

3. Priorities and PlanningObjective processes established for settingpriorities and planning weed managementprograms at State, regional and local levels.

4. Introduction and SpreadEffective controls over the entry of potentialweed species, and the early detection andresponse to new infestations. Adoption ofbest management practices to minimise thespread of existing weeds.

5. Integrated Weed ManagementAn effective and adaptive integrated weedmanagement process against all weeds.

6. Policy Support and RegulationAn appropriate policy and legal frameworkto support patch, local, regional andstatewide management of weeds.

7. ResourcesObjective allocation and efficient use of allgovernment, industry and communityresources available for weed managementprograms.

8. Education, Training and ResearchIncreased community and industry knowl-edge of and skills in weed management.

9. Monitoring and EvaluationAbility to evaluate changes in the status ofweeds and to maintain the relevance of theState Weed Plan.

The following section outlines the desiredoutcome for each component, and a series ofstrategic actions to achieve each outcome. Someof the actions are relatively simple and achiev-able within the existing management frame-work and resources. Others are more complexand challenging and will require the coopera-tion of government, industry, communitygroups and individual landowners in theefficient use of existing and new resources.


Weed problems can cross all administrative andland tenure boundaries. A successful strategicapproach to weed management requires a highdegree of coordination and integration betweenthe different stakeholders. Best outcomes areachieved when all levels of government, indus-try, community groups and individuallandholders work together to efficiently and ef-fectively use resources to manage weeds.

Coordination and integration are currently aninformal part of weed management activities atvarious management levels throughout the State.Groups and individuals working at patch andproperty levels coordinate with local and StateGovernment authorities and industry. Likewise,regional groups are increasingly undertaking co-ordination efforts to achieve better weed manage-ment.

Developing further opportunities for better co-ordination and integration of weed managementat the different management levels is an impor-tant part of the State Weed Plan. For example, ata local level, local governments, catchmentgroups, Land Conservation District Committees(under the Soil and Land Conservation Act 1945) orother local community groups have the opportu-nity to help coordinate weed management activi-ties at patch and property levels.

At a regional level there is an opportunity forexisting groups such as the Regional AdvisoryCommittees (under the Agriculture and RelatedResources Protection Act 1976) or Regional Catch-ment Councils to help coordinate weed manage-ment over larger areas.

The proposed approach to achieving the re-quired coordination and integration at the Statelevel is through the formation of a state-levelpolicy and coordinating council to guide andmonitor implementation of the State Weed Plan.The group should have a membership based onskills and expertise and be drawn from State andLocal Government, private landholders, researchinstitutions, industry and community groups.

COMPONENT 1: COORDINATION, INTEGRATION AND PUBLIC AWARENESS

Desired outcome: Coordinated and effective participation of land and water managers and users, policy makersand other stakeholders in weed management.

Coordination and Integration A body such as the proposed State Weed Coor-dinating Council (SWCC) will have terms of ref-erence enabling it to take a lead role in fosteringefficient and effective weed management in West-ern Australia. The SWCC should be appointedjointly by the Ministers for Primary Industry andEnvironment, and be supported by appropriategovernment agencies.

Effective coordination and integration will befacilitated through good communication. It re-quires the recognition and acknowledgment ofthe roles and contributions of all stakeholders tothe weed management effort. The State and Com-monwealth Governments will need to provideleadership and resources to ensure that effectivecoordination and integration is achieved in weedmanagement.

Part of the solution to managing weeds in West-ern Australia is raising public awareness of thecauses and appropriate responses to the problem.Often people are not aware of the impact thatweeds have on the natural environment and pri-mary production or that they may be contribut-ing to the problem through their own actions, forexample, dumping weed-infested garden refusein bushland or by distributing weed seeds byvehicles, animals and produce.

An important role for the State Weed Coordi-nating Council will be to promote and guide in-dustry and community information programs onweed management issues and strategies. Publicawareness campaigns such as NationalWeedbuster Week need to be given a high prior-ity by SWCC. The responsibility for implement-ing public awareness campaigns will need to beshared by the public and private sector, as wellas community organisations.

Ethnic communities need to be involved be-cause of long held cultural values associated withcertain plant species that have the potential tobecome serious weeds.

Public Awareness


Component 1. Coordination, integration and public awareness levels

STAKEHOLDERS

Friends groups, neighbourhood, individuals, landowners, land managers

Local Weed Management Groups or Committees(Partners: LGAs, catchment groups, LCDCs, community organisations, industry)

ethnic groups, traditional landowners

Patch

Local

Regional

State

National

Regional Coordinating Committees(Partners: catchment groups, LCDCs, LGAs regional strategy groups,

state government agencies, industry)

State Weed Coordinating Council(Partners: AGWEST, WRC, CALM, WAMA, DEP, Transport Services, LGAs,

Peak Industry Groups, Community Organisations)

Australian Weeds Committee, National Weeds Strategy Executive Committee(Partners: State and Commonwealth governments, industry), Weeds CRC,

OCPPO, National Weedbuster Committee, CSIRO, CAWSS

Traditional landowners should be consulted onthe potential impact of introduced plants on theheritage value of significant sites and on ways thatthese plants should be treated as part of the StateWeed Plan.

All examples of weed management planningand implementation at local levels should bedocumented. This will increase the available fundof knowledge on weed management, and encour-age action by community groups by both dem-onstrating what can be achieved and facilitatingthe activity.

National Weedbuster Week is in October each year <www.weedbusterweek.info.au>

Commitment by all Western Australians will beimproved and maintained by publicising the suc-cessful outcomes of the State Weed Plan.

The diagram for Component 1 illustrates thestakeholders who can make a valuable contribu-tion to implementation of the State Weed Plan byparticipation at appropriate levels.


Recommended strategic actions

ACTION NO. RECOMMENDED STRATEGIC ACTION POTENTIAL PARTNERS

1.1 Establish a broad, skills-based State WeedCoordinating Council (SWCC) with terms of referenceto lead implementation of the State Weed Plan.

Ministers for PrimaryIndustry and Environment

1.2 Develop a coordinated work program (State WeedAction Plan) for the State Weed Plan.

SWCC

1.3 Foster the involvement of all relevant government,industry and community organisations in coordinatedweed management at all levels.

PARTNERS

SWCC

State agencies, LGAs,community members

Ministry for Planning

1.4 Foster coordinated weed management planning,implementation and monitoring across all land tenuresin conjunction with appropriate groups.

SWCC Ministry for Planning

1.5 Facilitate regional weed management planningthrough linkages with appropriate governmentagencies.

SWCC, LGAs, AGWEST,CALM

Ministry for Planning,Catchment Groups,LCDCs, Regional NRMgroups

1.6 Develop public awareness programs for thecommunity, and link into existing programs such asNational Weedbuster Week.

SWCC, WAMA, DEP, WRC,AGWEST, CALM

LCDCs, LGAs, WeedsCRC, NWCC, PPS,EWAN

1.7 Encourage production of weed awareness literatureand events.

SWCC, LGAs, DEP, WRC,AGWEST, CALM

1.8 Seek suitable opportunities, such as field days andgarden shows, to promote weed awareness.

SWCC, AGWEST, LGAs LCDCs, RACs

1.9 Support and reward those individuals and groupsadopting responsible mechanisms for weedmanagement.

SWCC, EWAN


All users and managers of the State’s naturalresources share a responsibility to ensure theirsustainable management, include individual landowners and lessees, government agencies com-munity and industry groups who are involvedin natural resource management. All these par-ties need to adopt the principles of the State WeedPlan if effective weed management is to be suc-cessful. Communicating the roles and responsi-bilities of government agencies, industry and pri-vate landowners and coordinating their responseis important to the success of the State Weed Plan.

At a local level it is recognised that members ofcatchment, bush regeneration and other commu-nity groups play the main role, though this re-sponsibility should not fall solely upon volunteersand individuals. Support of this local effort is es-sential for successful action against many typesof weeds.

Developing and gaining acceptance of ‘GoodNeighbour’ principles and ‘Codes of Practice’ asthey apply to weeds will help define the respon-sibility for weed management of individual land-owners and managers including farmers and lo-cal and State Government agencies. Developmentof generic Codes of Practice will assist weed man-agement being more broadly incorporated intoexisting and new industry Codes of Practice.

Examples of roles through which all people inWestern Australia can contribute to weed man-agement are shown below.

Individuals• Know the important weeds and take respon-

sibility for those on their land.

• Improve their weed knowledge and skills tomake their efforts more effective and sustain-able.

• Plan and cooperate with neighbours.

Communities• Coordinate group action and links to plans at

a regional level.

• Raise awareness and improve education onweed issues.

COMPONENT 2: ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Desired outcome: Stakeholders aware of and committed to their roles and responsibilities in weed management

Community and industry organisations• Provide information on weed issues to mem-

bers.

• Develop industry codes of practice.

Local Government• Provide information, coordination and sup-

port for community groups.

• Manage weeds on their own lands.

State Weed Coordinating Council• Lead implementation of the State Weed Plan

and evaluate its effectiveness over time.

• Develop the State Weed Action Plan.

• Foster the involvement of all relevant govern-ment, industry and community organisationsin coordinated weed management at regionaland local levels.

• Develop risk assessment and priority settingmethods.

• Manage public awareness and promotion cam-paigns.

• Facilitate the development of training in weedidentification and management.

• Coordinate the development of informationsystems (databases) on distribution, weed ecol-ogy and management options.

• Foster Codes of Practice relevant to industrieswith a stakeholding in weed management.

• Foster and support research and developmentof weed management systems based on bestmanagement practice.

• Coordinate the development of a spatial infor-mation system for recording weed location andmanagement.

• Identify the Weeds of State Significance(WOSS) as high priority targets for action.


State Government• Ensure maintenance of appropriate regulation

and policies.

• Provide leadership in research, risk assess-ment, education, advisory services and publicawareness.

• Assist improved weed management at all lev-els by providing appropriate support for weedmanagement from government agencies.

• Manage weed problems on State Governmentland in cooperation with neighbours.


STRATEGIES / ACTIVITIES

Weed indentification, weed mapping, weed management in cooperation withneighbours, land restoration

Setting local priorities, weed management coordination, weed awareness

Individuals

Local groups

Regional groups

State and SWCC

National

Coordination and integration of local levels, resources, priority setting,administrative support

Leadership, coordination, integration, publicity, resources, R&D, legislation,industry codes of practice

Coordination, resources, R&D

Component 2. Roles and responsibility levels




2.1 Encourage all public and private land managers to actas ‘Good Neighbours’.

SWCC, LGAs, relevantState agencies

2.2 Encourage joint and cooperative local and regionalprograms based on a clear understanding ofresponsibilities

SWCC, LGAs, relevant Stateagencies

2.3 Promote acceptance at all levels of the significance ofweeds and the responsibilities of individuals, groupsand agencies for weed management

PARTNERS

SWCC, WAMA, Communitygroups, State agencies,Weeds CRC

Industry and communityorganisations

Regional NRM groups

2.4 Development of generic Code of Practice to assistweed management being more broadly incorporatedinto existing and new industry Codes of Practice

SWCC, appropriate Stateagencies

Regional NRM groups


Component 3. Priorities and planning levels


Priority setting, weeds of patch / property significance,patch / property weed action plans

Priority setting, weeds of local significance, local weed action plans

Patch

Local

Regional

State

National

Priority setting, weeds of regional significance,regional weed action plans

Priority setting, weeds of state significance,state weed action plans

Priority setting, weeds of national significance,national weed action plans

COMPONENT 3: PRIORITIES AND PLANNING

Desired outcome: Objective processes established for setting priorities and planning weed management programsat State, regional and local levels.

Western Australia has a diverse set of bioregionsas well as various administrative boundaries.Planning and prioritisation for weed manage-ment needs to occur within appropriate manage-ment units. Options include the use of catchmentsor local government boundaries for administra-tion and regulation to provide close links to thecommunity and a single local administrativeframework; and the use of Interim Biogeographi-cal Regionalisation for Australia (IBRA) regionsto provide a logical environmental basis for weedrisk and priority assessments. The option chosenmust meet the majority of needs and be able tobe efficiently managed.

Resources will never be sufficient to attempteradication of all weeds in Western Australia.Available resources should be efficiently appliedto the highest priority weeds, and a sound casemade for investment of additional resources.

Developing a coordinated approach to weedmanagement will require application of processthat is species, scale and location sensitive to ob-jectively determine the risk posed by individualweeds in specific situations. This process willneed to be applicable to all weed managementlevels (patch/property, local, regional and State)and to both existing and potential weeds. Themethodology will need to build upon those usedin international and interstate risk assessment, theexisting statutory basis for assessing agriculturalweeds, those recommended in the Environmen-tal Weed Strategy for Western Australia and theNational Weeds Strategy. This is essential to en-sure a consistent approach to weed prioritisationin Western Australia.

This process should lead to the production of alist of Weeds of State Significance (WOSS).


More information on IBRA regions and biodiversity can be found on the Environment Australia website at<www.environment.gov.au>.



3.1 Establish a priority setting process suitable for use atall levels of planning and priority setting.

SWCC, AGWEST, CALM

3.2 Maintain and communicate lists of priority weedswhen developed, including Weeds of StateSignificance (WOSS).

SWCC, AGWEST, CALM

3.3 Develop a risk assessment methodology fordetermining weed management priorities.

PARTNERS

AGWEST, CALM, LGAs

NWS

Community groups,LCDCs, RACs

3.4 Define and promote appropriate regions for themanagement of weeds (for example, bioregions,catchments).

SWCC RACs, Regional NRMgroups

3.5 Promote the inclusion of cost-benefit principles inregional and local priority setting.

SWCC AGWEST, CALM

3.6 Promote integrated regional, local and patch prioritysetting and planning for effective weed management.

SWCC, LGAs, CALM,AGWEST, WRC, Community

Regional NRM groups,LCDCs, Communitygroups

3.7 Encourage the inclusion of weed managementplanning in all land use changes.

SWCC, AGWEST, Ministryfor Planning

3.8 Encourage all agencies and communities to allocateresources based on consistent priority settingprocesses.

SWCC CALM, AGWEST, WRC,LGAs

3.9 Participate in working groups developing nationalstrategies for WONS.

AGWEST, CALM, WRC

NWS

LCDCs, LGAs

NWS

Information about the Weeds of National Significance (WONS) and national strategies for managing them can befound on the National Weeds Strategy homepage <www.weeds.org.au>.


The introduction of a new plant species (poten-tial weed species) at national, State, regional, lo-cal or patch level has the potential for impacts onecosystem function and primary production.Once detected it is important that protocols forcontainment and management of a new weed areeffectively and efficiently observed. Good borderquarantine control is important in minimising theentry of potential new weeds. It must be recog-nised that plants not currently regarded as weedycould become weeds with changes to the envi-ronment. Global warming, for example, may leadto the spread of weeds that currently have a lim-ited distribution. Similarly, the introduction ofnew pollinators such as bumblebees could leadto increased seed production of species that arecurrently poor reproducers.

Quarantine restrictions are in place at nationaland State borders under the Commonwealth Quar-antine Act 1908, Plant Diseases Act 1914 and Agri-culture and Related Resources Protection Act 1976.These provide a strong legal basis for protectionagainst accidental and deliberate plant introduc-tions but only cover quarantinable weeds anddeclared plants. For more details, see Component6.

However, many potential weed species are notregulated and are being brought into the State ormoved within the State. Restraining the move-ment of these non-regulated weeds which posesignificant risk to agriculture and the environ-ment provides a challenge for local groups andindustries.

The nursery and seed merchant industries couldmake a significant contribution to reducing theintroduction and spread of potentially weedyspecies through the voluntary adoption of Codesof Practice which should include labelling sys-tems which identify potential weeds.

The increasing popularity of mail order seedand plant sales, and the potential for ordering ofmaterial from other countries via the internet,needs to be addressed both through the publicawareness program and maintenance of rigorousmail checking systems. Possibilities for coopera-

COMPONENT 4: INTRODUCTION AND SPREAD

Desired outcome: Effective controls over the entry of potential weed species, and the early detection and responseto new infestations. Adoption of improved practices to minimise the spread of existing weeds

tive awareness programs with authorities in othercountries should be explored.

A number of initiatives can be undertaken atregional, local and patch levels to prevent the in-troduction and spread of weed species. These in-clude:

• Good biosecurity practices – for example, en-sure vehicles, machinery, stock, footwear andclothing are properly cleaned of weed seed be-fore moving from site to site. Codes of Prac-tice and vendor declaration schemes can beused to good effect by individuals and organi-sations.

• Attention to weed control on road and rail re-serves.

• Census of weed flora – knowledge of the weedflora in a patch, local or regional area will en-able identification of new introductions. Thepreparation of regional, local and patch her-baria should be actively promoted.

• Containment – rapid identification, isolationand action is required to ensure the contain-ment of new weed species.

• Timely response to events such as floods, firesor land development which are likely to pro-vide opportunities for weeds to spread.

Rapid responseEarly detection of new localised weed

populations enables their eradication or contain-ment. A concerted effort early in the invasionprocess can save considerable effort or loss ofability to control the weed in the long term. Theeradication of kochia (Bassia scoparia) from West-ern Australia provides a good example of the suc-cess possible through rapid action. Introducedlegally as a saltland rehabilitation plant, it’s weedpotential was recognised and a nationally-fundederadication successfully implemented.

Eradication campaigns usually succeed only ifthe following criteria are met.


• The population of the target species must behighly localised and the boundaries of thepopulation known.

• An effective control method is available.

• The area is not continuously reinfested fromseed reserves in the soil, from surroundingareas, or from nearby cultivated specimens.

Waterways are of special concern because of thepotential for rapid downstream spread of aquaticweeds. Containment and control in waterways issometimes more difficult than in terrestrial sys-tems.

An early warning and rapid response systemmust be maintained to minimise the spread of anintroduced weed.


Component 4. Introduction, spread and response levels


Good neighbour policies, property biosecurity policies,rapid response

Good neighbour policies, coordination of rapid response

Patch

Local

Regional

State

National

Border control, containment, coordination of rapid response

Border control, (AQIS, AGWEST), resources for coordination,nursery and seed merchant support

National import controls (AQIS), OCPPO, Plant Health Australia

GISPInternational




4.1 Maintain effective quarantine strategies to minimiseweed introductions to Western Australia, and detectexotic weed outbreaks.

AGWEST, AQIS

4.2 Support the implementation of rigorous weed riskassessment processes for all plant material importedinto Western Australia.

SWCC, AGWEST, AQIS,R&D agencies

4.3 Establish and promote an efficient process for theidentification and appropriate reporting of new weedinfestations.

PARTNERS

AGWEST, CALM, WRC,SWCC, MRWA, OCPPO

LCDCs, RACs, communitygroups, LGAs

4.4 Encourage the development of a rapid responseprocess and its use for weed infestations at all levels.

AGWEST, OCPPO, AWC CALM, WRC

4.5 Facilitate the development of appropriate training inweed identification to enable early detection of newincursions.

SWCC, CALM, AGWEST,WRC

LGAs, community groups

4.6 Encourage the development and adoption by industryof Codes of Practice and company protocols, andother provisions to minimise the introduction andspread of weeds.

SWCC, NGIWA NGIA, Seed IndustryAssociation

4.7 Encourage the inclusion of weed spread preventionmeasures in weed action plans

SWCC, AGWEST, Ministryfor Planning

4.8 Encourage a timely response where natural events(for example fires, floods) cause invasion of weeds.

SWCC All landholders

4.9 Encourage appropriate attention to road verges,waterways and other avenues of spread.

SWCC, WRC, LGAs,MRWA, Westrail, DOLA

Industry and communityorganisations

LCDCs, LGAs

RCC

4.10 Recognise herbicide-resistant weeds as a specialform of “new” weeds by ensuring appropriaterecording of locations and monitoring.

SWCC, AGWEST

4.11 Encourage public land managers to implement aGood Neighbour Program to minimise weed invasion.

SWCC DOLA, CALM, WRC,MRWA, Westrail

4.12 Recognise genetically modified and/or herbicide-resistant crops as a potential form of a new weed andensure appropriate planning and response.

AGWEST, Agribusiness

All landholders,Agribusiness, Industryorganisations

RACs, Industryorganisations


The use of a single, isolated weed controlmethod generally will not succeed. Persistent useof herbicides has, for example, resulted in herbi-cide-resistance development in some weed spe-cies.

Integrated weed management involves theplanned use of a number of control methods toachieve effective weed management. It should in-clude the restoration and rehabilitation of landas weeds are removed.

Primary producers and other land users shouldintegrate a range of methods including mechani-cal control, biological control, chemical controland optimum pasture, cropping and grazingmanagement to achieve sustainable weed control.

COMPONENT 5: INTEGRATED WEED MANAGEMENT

Desired outcome: An effective and adaptive integrated weed management process against all weeds

Integrated weed management in natural andsemi-natural ecosystems involves using mechani-cal methods, biological control, chemical control,weed suppression devices (such as fibre matting,mulch), cultivation and ecosystem management(such as fire, revegetation and disturbance man-agement). Integrated weed management in natu-ral areas needs to be part of the process of eco-logical restoration in order to develop long-termsustainable ecosystems.

The scale of some weed infestations makes bio-logical control the only feasible option.

The adoption of integrated weed managementapproaches at all levels and its promotion throughtraining and extension programs is an importantpart of implementation of the State Weed Plan.Integrated Weed Management can be defined as‘a sustainable management system that combinesall appropriate weed control options’ (Sindel2000).




5.1 Promote appropriate best practice for integrated weedmanagement on all land.

SWCC, AGWEST, CALM,WRC, LGAs, Communityand Catchment groups,Weeds CRC

5.2 Encourage the inclusion of integrated weedmanagement in natural resource management plansat all levels.

CALM, AGWEST, WRC,LGAs, Transport Authorities,all land managers

5.3 Advocate the inclusion of specific weed managementmethods in land management and rehabilitationplans.

PARTNERS

SWCC, CALM, WRC, LGAs

5.4 Produce information resources and guidelines fordeveloping integrated weed management programs atall levels to ensure effective use of resources.

SWCC, AGWEST, CALM,LGAs, WRC, Weeds CRC

5.5 Promote the application of biological control agentswhere appropriate.

SWCC, CSIRO, Weeds CRC

5.6 Development of integrated weed management planfor specific weed problems where appropriate.

SWCC, AGWEST, CALM,WRC, LGAs

Component 5. Integrated weed management levels


Integrated weed management practice, restoration practices,biological control

Integrated weed management practice, restoration practices, equipment pools

Patch

Local

Regional

State

National

Advocacy for integrated weed management,integration with natural resource management activities

Research into difficult problems, biological control,integration with natural resource management initiatives

Biological control research


Legislation supports the national and State plantquarantine systems, the management of manyserious agricultural weeds (as Declared Plants)within the State and gives local governmentpower to prescribe Pest Plants for the purposesof local management.

The legislation can only work successfullywhere there is a high level of public awarenessand broad cooperation on weed management is-sues. Whilst legislation is necessary it can be per-ceived as negative, and can be costly to police. Itis important that local weed action plans andpolicies gain the voluntary support of the com-munity, rather than relying heavily on enforce-ment to achieve objectives.

The importation into Australia of plants, includ-ing potential weeds, is controlled under the Com-monwealth Quarantine Act 1908 and the WildlifeProtection (Regulation of Exports and Imports) Act1982 and is managed by the Australian Quaran-tine and Inspection Service (AQIS).

The Plant Diseases Act 1914, and to a lesser ex-tent the Agriculture and Related Resources Protec-tion Act 1976, control the movement of plants andseeds into Western Australia. This system needsto be maintained against pressures for commer-cial introduction of plants with known weed po-tential and increased movement of potentiallycontaminated produce.

Only plant species on the ‘Permitted List’ un-der the Plant Diseases Regulations 1989, or thoseapproved under specific conditions, can be im-ported into Western Australia. The Permitted Listis based on an assessment of the weed risks posedby the plant. Plant species which have not beenpreviously assessed are subject to a formal weedrisk assessment.

Plants declared under the Agriculture and Re-lated Resources Protection Act 1976 are excludedfrom entry to the area of the State detailed in thedeclaration. This legislation also prescribes ac-tions that landholders must undertake when De-clared Plants are present on their land, and in-cludes various levels of control and preventionof the movement or spread of the weeds. Ensur-

COMPONENT 6: POLICY SUPPORT AND REGULATION

Desired outcome: An appropriate legal and policy framework to support patch, local, regional and statewidemanagement of weeds

ing implementation of the Declared Plant require-ments is the responsibility of the Agriculture Pro-tection Board (APB), which is constituted underthe Agriculture Protection Board Act 1950.

While the assessments of potential DeclaredPlants made by the APB are comprehensive, usu-ally plants are only declared if they pose a threatto agriculture. Many freshwater aquatic weedshave the potential to impact upon irrigation re-sources and the Declared Plant list includes thoseof concern known to be present in Western Aus-tralia or posing a risk of entry from other states.All serious aquatic weeds are Declared Plants andoutbreaks in Western Australia are currently sub-ject to eradication programs. Weeds such as bridalcreeper, caltrop and pampas grass, which are pri-marily environmental weeds, are not DeclaredPlants.

Under the Agriculture and Related ResourcesProtection Act 1976 and the Local Government Act1995, local government can make local laws re-quiring landholder attention to Pest Plants occur-ring in the shire area. Pest Plants cannot also beDeclared Plants in the same area. Pest Plant pro-visions are proving an effective local means ofraising awareness and achieving increased weedcontrol on public and private land.

Under the Land Administration Act 1997,pastoralists are limited in the introduction of ex-otic species for grazing improvement and are alsorequired to manage Declared Plants.

The Environmental Weed Strategy for WesternAustralia recommended the introduction of leg-islation to support the management and classifi-cation of environmental weeds, and relevant leg-islation (proposed Biodiversity Conservation Bill)is currently under consideration.

The Seed Industry Association of Australia’sCode of Practice is an appropriate example ofpolicies to minimise the movement of weeds intoWestern Australia, and such an approach shouldbe considered by other industry groups involvedin the movement of potential weeds, or poten-tially contaminated produce.


Successful implementation of the State WeedPlan will require strong voluntary contributionat all levels, backed by consistent implementa-tion of regulation where action from landholdersfalls below community standards.

The Permitted list is available on the AGWEST webpage <www.agric.wa.gov.au/progserv/plants/weeds/Weedsci.htm>


Component 6. Policy support and regulation levels


Management plans / policies, farm biosecurity plans,contractor codes of practice

Management plans, policies, pest plants, contractor codes of practice

Patch

Local

Regional

State

Agriculture and Related Resources Protection Act 1976,regional strategies, company policies

Agriculture and Related Resources Protection Act 1976,Soil and Land Conservation Act 1945, Plant Diseases Act 1914,

Land Administration Act 1997, Environmental Protection Act 1986,industry protection plans, manuals and protocols

and proposed Biodiversity Conservation Bill

NationalNational Weeds Strategy, Quarantine Act 1908, Wildlife Protection (Regulation of

Exports and Imports) Act 1982, National Biodiversity Strategy

GISPInternational




6.1 Promote sound weed management throughappropriate policies and codes of practice.

SWCC

6.2 Investigate an appropriate legal framework to supportcommunity action against serious weeds at a locallevel.

SWCC, AGWEST, CALM

6.3 Encourage the linkage of weed managementinitiatives with other state, national and internationalpolicies and programs such as the National WeedsStrategy and the National Resource ManagementInitiative.

PARTNERS

SWCC, CALM, AGWEST,WRC, LGAs

Promote the development of property level biosecurityand a quality assurance program for weedmanagement.

AGWEST, CALM, WRC

6.5 Promote the Pest Plant provisions as a means ofachieving the regulation of locally important weeds.

SWCC, APB

6.6 Promote effective and timely compliance andenforcement programs for regulated weeds.

APB, CALM, SWCC, LGAs

6.4

NWSEC, AWC

LGAs


Successful implementation of the State WeedPlan requires a commitment to provide sufficientresources by all levels of government and the pri-vate sector. Current resources applied to weedmanagement need to be identified and redirectedas necessary, to achieve the improved efficiencyand effectiveness of resource use. This will helpidentify resource deficiencies and provide a ba-sis for value-adding through the targeted appli-cation of more resources. Groups and agenciesshould identify their resource commitments as acontribution towards national and State weedmanagement objectives.

PeopleCommitted people are the key to the manage-

ment of weeds in the State. Through awarenessprograms, individuals can create the impetuswithin their community to take action. Individualroles and approaches may differ but with ad-equate training, resources and recognition, eachperson can contribute to more effective weedmanagement.

Involving all stakeholders in the developmentof weed management programs will maximise theownership of the program and optimise imple-mentation. Existing skills and knowledge of com-munity participants in weed management needto be identified and recognised so that this knowl-edge base can be fully utilised to the benefit of alllocal weed management programs. Training is re-quired to broaden the numbers of individualsinvolved and increase the skill levels of new re-cruits and volunteers generally.

Community groups and individuals need effec-tive support from relevant government authori-ties. This includes administrative support andcoordination, training (or assistance with meet-ing training costs), technical advice and insurance.Experience in other areas of natural resource man-agement has shown that to effectively harness theresources available within the community, the in-volvement of a number of extension officersaround the State will be needed to facilitate coor-dinated weed management at local and regionallevels.

InformationCurrently, good levels of information are avail-

able for some weed species and very little for oth-ers. The demand for information on weeds, theirimpacts and management is expanding rapidly.

Further development of WeedBase (a CD-ROMof the biological characteristics, distribution andcontrol of Western Australian weeds), and itsavailability via the internet, will enable existinginformation to be distributed quickly and effec-tively. It will also provide a conduit throughwhich the range of information on all weed spe-cies and their distribution can be improved. Gen-eral use of common computer databases andmapping systems will greatly assist weed man-agement by community groups and agencies.

Programs to improve weed-knowledge man-agement and generation must be developed andthe extension of this new knowledge promul-gated. Coordinated information management andaccessibility across the State is required to ensurethat the greatest benefit is derived bystakeholders. The SWCC should consider estab-lishment of an information service to provide in-formation and referrals relating to activities con-sistent with the State Weed Plan.

FundingTo sustain effective weed management in all

high priority areas, sufficient support is requiredto ensure long-term community and industrycommitment to coordinated weed managementprograms.

Where possible, the resources associated withany weed management program should reflectthe relative importance of each weed problem andshould be borne by both the contributors to theproblem and the beneficiaries of effective weedmanagement. However, this is often difficult todetermine when the benefits of weed control areoften not immediately identifiable or attributableto any one group in society.

COMPONENT 7: RESOURCES

Desired outcome: Objective allocation and efficient use of all government, industry and community resourcesavailable for weed management programs


Government should consider support for weedmanagement where broad economic, environ-mental and community benefits are demonstratedand technically sound solutions are available orwarrant development. Research and regulationservices are also core considerations for State andCommonwealth Governments.

Local Government will have improved oppor-tunities for contribution under the State WeedPlan, including support for local community ac-tions.

FloraBase can be accessed on the CALM Internet site <www.calm.wa.gov.au>Declared Plant and other weed information can be found on the AGWEST Internet site <www.agric.wa.gov.au>Those keen to know more about weed issues and weed management ideas should try the AGWEST weed links page<www.agric.wa.gov.au/progserv/plants/weeds/links.htm> and the Weeds Australia search <www.weeds.org.au>

Local, regional and statewide coordination ofweed management, through implementation andmonitoring weed management plans, will assistin ensuring that both recurrent funding andgrants are used effectively and that the benefitsof these programs are delivered to the widest pos-sible spectrum of stakeholders.


Component 7. Resource levels


Labour, equipment, information notes, weed maps, funded projects

Equipment, grants, weed maps, information notes, locally funded projects

Patch

Local

Regional

State

National

Regionally funded projects, technical information

Information centre, funding, WeedBase, FloraBase, sponsorship

Funding, information




7.1 Continue to develop accessible databases andmapping systems for known and potential weeds,their distribution and abundance, characteristics,options for control and key contact personnel, such asWeedBase.

CALM, AGWEST

7.2 Obtain funds to implement the State Weed Plan(three to five years).

SWCC, CALM, AGWEST,and other State agencies.

7.3 Facilitate projects and submissions for resourcesinvolving partnerships between government agencies,community groups and industry.

PARTNERS

SWCC

7.4 Provide technical support for local government andcommunity groups.

SWCC, CALM, AGWEST,WRC

7.5 Identify specialist extension officers to supportcommunity groups in the development of participatorymanagement programs.

CALM, AGWEST, WRC,MRWA, community groups

7.6 Identify and promote government, industry andcommunity resources and skills available for weedmanagement.

SWCC

7.7 Identify and promote sources of funding for thecoordinated management of weeds.

SWCC

7.8 Encourage all participants in weed managementprograms to work cooperatively to gain maximum useof all resources.

SWCC, LGAs

7.9 Facilitate the establishment of an information service. SWCC

DOLA, MRWA, WRC,Westrail


Component 8. Education, training and research levels


Weed control methods, effectiveness of weed control methods,plant identification, monitoring and reporting

Seminars, workshops, field days, data collection, plant identification

Patch

Local

Regional

State

National

Seminars, workshops, field days, coordination of data collection,regional herbaria, applied research

Weed management research, training, training accreditation, education, databases

Biological control, herbicide registration, conferences

COMPONENT 8: EDUCATION, TRAINING AND RESEARCH

Desired outcome: Increased community and industry knowledge of, and skills in, weed management

Education and trainingEducation and training in weed management

needs to be addressed at an integrated and coor-dinated level throughout the State. Education pro-grams need to be broadened at tertiary levels toinclude all natural sciences and other disciplinesassociated with land development. Accreditedtraining and education for community groups,land managers and local government employeesalso needs to be developed to include coursessuch as bush regeneration, herbicide use, researchand monitoring.

The further development of digital informationtools such as WeedBase has the potential to pro-vide an effective aid to community involvementin weed identification, reporting and manage-ment.

ResearchResearch into, and training in, weed manage-

ment in Western Australia is carried out by anumber of government and non-governmentagencies including:

• Government and other agencies addressingweed biology, impacts on primary production,weed distribution, weed control, biologicalcontrol or plant taxonomy

• AGWEST• CSIRO• Botanic Gardens and Parks Authority• Universities• CRC for Australian Weed Management• CALM• Research and Development Corporations (in-

cluding the GRDC-supported WA HerbicideResistance Initiative)

• Industry: weed control, herbicide develop-ment, weed biology


• Community and Landcare groups: weed con-trol, weed distribution, ecosystem regenera-tion.

Much of the research is aimed at overcomingspecific problems, particularly with respect to ag-ricultural production. Little research is aimed atdeveloping integrated solutions at a landscapelevel to achieve both robust production systemsand ecosystem resilience. Research needs to bebetter integrated and well resourced in order totackle weed management across the State. Linksbetween State research programs and Common-wealth programs need to be identified and con-solidated to ensure successful outcomes and



8.1 Identify, document and promote current researchactivities conducted by State and national agenciesand groups.

SWCC

8.2 Identify and prioritise research programs to supportintegrated weed management.

SWCC

8.3 Identify funding sources and opportunities for weedresearch, including appropriate incentives.

PARTNERS

Commonwealth, Industry,Weeds CRC

AGWEST, CALM

8.4 Develop and implement more effective training andeducation programs for all parties involved in weedmanagement for example, development of bestmanagement practice and demonstration sites.

SWCC, LGAs, AGWEST,CALM, Weeds CRC

NIAWA, EWAN

8.5 Incorporate weed management education intoexisting curricula at all levels.

Universities, TAFE, Schools,Weeds CRC

LGAs

8.6 Coordinate development and distribution of endorsedinformation on weed management.

SWCC, State agencies,Weeds CRC

LGAs

8.7 Encourage greater communication and liaisonbetween groups involved in weed management.

SWCC, AGWEST,community groups

8.8 Promote uptake of training in weed identification andintegrated weed management, and the developmentof new training opportunities where gaps exist.

SWCC, AGWEST, CALM,WRC, Weeds CRC

LGAs, peak landcare body

NWS

LGAs

avoid duplication of effort. Increased research bychemical companies is needed into herbicidessuitable for use in protecting native ecosystems.

A strong commitment is required to ensure that‘action-learning’ and ‘adaptive management’ ap-proaches are successfully applied. The experien-tial results of all weed managers need to be cap-tured to ensure that practical knowledge is madeavailable to all current and future participants inweed management programs.


Monitoring and evaluation need to be under-taken to measure the success of the strategiesimplemented under the State Weed Plan and tomake appropriate changes.

Performance indicators will need to be devel-oped in order to objectively assess the successof activities associated with the Plan. This willcontribute to its accountability where publicand private sector funds are involved andprovide a mechanism for modifying strategieswhere desired outcomes are not being ad-equately achieved.

COMPONENT 9: MONITORING AND EVALUATION

Desired outcome: Ability to evaluate changes in the status of weeds and to maintain the relevance of the StateWeed Plan

Component 9. Monitoring and evaluation levels


Occurance and changes in weed distribution, effectiveness if weedmanagement methods, volunteer effort, landholder expenditure

Changes in weed distribution, success of weed management programs,priority setting reviews, level of community awareness, support and involvement

Patch

Local

Regional

State

National

Updated weed management strategies, spread of new populations,priority setting reviews, media cover

Weed plan strategies, resource allocation to weed management,quarantine interceptions, distribution of regulated weeds

WONS progress, weed mapping, effectiveness of control strategies,quarantine interceptions

Both short- and long-term monitoring pro-grams will need to be part of the overall moni-toring strategy. Progress in implementing StateWeed Plan strategies should be reported annu-ally. The State Weed Plan’s impact and overallprogress in weed management should bereviewed every five years.




9.1 Establish criteria to evaluate the implementation andeffectiveness of all actions under the State WeedPlan.

SWCC

9.2 Undertake regular surveys of land managers, industrygroups and the wider community to gauge the level ofawareness of weed issues and participation in weedmanagement and to identify opportunities andimpediments to the achievement of State Weed Planobjectives.

SWCC

9.3 Establish regular reporting to stakeholders onprogress of the State Weed Action Plan.

PARTNERS

SWCC

9.4 Recommend changes to State Weed Action Plan andnegotiate changes with stakeholders as required.

SWCC

9.5 Review the State Weed Plan every five years. SWCC

9.6 Promote a consistent system for monitoring weedstatus.

SWCC

9.7 Conduct regular regional forums to reviewstakeholder participation and support.

SWCC

9.8 Records costs to implement the State Weed Plan andevaluate efficiency through cost/benefit analysis orsimilar means.

SWCC


REFERENCES

ANON, National Strategy for EcologicallySustainable Development (1992).Government Publisher, Canberra.

ARMCANZ, ANZECC and ForestryMinisters (1997) The National Weeds Strategy:A Strategic Approach to Weed Problems ofNational Significance. Agricultural andResource Management Council of Australiaand New Zealand, Australian and NewZealand Environmental and ConservationCouncil, Forestry Ministers.

Department of Conservation and LandManagement (1999) Environmental WeedStrategy for Western Australia. Department ofCALM Publication.

Randall, R.P. (2000). “Which are my worstweeds?” A simple ranking system forprioritizing weeds. Plant ProtectionQuarterly Vol.15 (3)

Sindel, B.M. (ed.) (2000) Australian WeedManagement Systems. R.G. and F.J.

Richardson.Thackway, R. and Cresswell, I.D. (1995) AnInterim Biogeographic Regionalisation forAustralia: A framework for establishing thenational system of reserves. Version 4.0.Canberra: Australian Nature ConservationAgency.

Timmins, S.M. and Owen, S.J. (2001). Scaryspecies, superlative sites: assessing weedrisk in New Zealand’s protected naturalareas. in ‘Weed Risk Assessment’. eds.Groves, R.H., Panetta F.D. and Virtue J.G.(CSIRO Publishing, Melbourne).

Thorp, J.R. (1998) Weeds of NationalSignificance. Standing Committee onConservation. Out of Session Paper.

Virtue, J. and Cooke, D. (1997) NationalWeeds Strategy: “National Significance”Criteria Survey. Animal and Plant Control


VALUABLE INTERNET SITES

Commission, South Australia.AFFA <www.affa.gov.au>

Department of Agriculture <www.agric.wa.gov.au>

AQIS <www.aqis.gov.au>

Department of Conservation and Land Management <www.calm.wa.gov.au>

Council of Australian Weed Science Societies <http://avoca.vicnet.net.au/~weedss/>

CSIRO Entomology (for biological control) <www.ento.csiro.au>

Environment Australia <www.environment.gov.au>

Environmental Weeds Action Network (Inc.) <http://members.iinet.net.au/~ewan/>

National Weeds Strategy Homepage <www.weeds.org.au>

Office of the Chief Plant Protection Officer<www.affa.gov.au/outputs/animalplanthealth.html>

Permitted List (for importing seeds or plants into Western Australia)<www.agric.wa.gov.au/progserv/plants/weeds/Weedsci.htm>

Plant Health Australia< www.planthealthaustralia.com.au>

Plant Protection Society of WA (Inc.) and 13th Australian Weeds Conference<http://members.iinet.net.au/~weeds>

Sandy’s Links Page <www.agric.wa.gov.au/progserv/plants/weeds/links.htm>

Weedbuster Week <www.weedbusterweek.info.au>

Weeds CRC <www.waite.adelaide.edu.au/CRCWMS/>


Name Title/Organisation

Mr Rob Delane (Chairman)Executive Director, Agriculture ProtectionDepartment of Agriculture

Mr Roger Armstrong Senior Environmental Protection OfficerCALM

Dr Ken Atkins ChairmanRoadside Conservation Committee

Mr Frank Batini Manager, Environmental Protection BranchCALM

Ms Lillias Bovell Policy ManagerWestern Australian Municipal Association

Mr David Bright PresidentAustralian Association of Bush Regenerators (WA)

Mr Ben Carr Environmental OfficerD E P

Mr Damian Collopy Manager, Plant Pests and DiseasesDepartment of Agriculture

Mr Rex Edmondson ChairmanSoil and Land Conservation Council

Mrs Keryl Enright ChairmanAgriculture Protection Board

Mrs Judy Fisher Committee MemberEnvironmental Weeds Action Network

Mr Rowland Gwynne Manager, Plant HealthDepartment of Agriculture

Ms Verity Klemm Waterways WA Program CoordinatorWater and Rivers Commission

Ms Sandy Lloyd Executive Officer, State Weed PlanDepartment of Agriculture

Mrs Diane Matthews Conservation Council of Western Australia (Inc.) andWildflower Society of WA (Inc.)

Ms Margo O’Byrne Community Involvement Coordinator (Ecoplan)Department of Environmental Protection

Mr Sandy Pate Development OfficerNursery Industry Association (WA)

MEMBERS OF THE STATE WEED PLAN STEERING GROUP


MEMBERS OF THE STATE WEED PLAN STEERING GROUP

FUNDING

Development of the State Weed Plan was funded by:

• Department of Agriculture

• Water and Rivers Commission

• Main Roads WA

• Westrail

• Department of Environmental Protection.

Prof. Stephen Powles Director, WA Herbicide Resistance InitiativeThe University of Western Australia and Weeds CRC

Mrs Joanna Seabrook ChairpersonEnvironmental Weeds Action Network

Ms Rachel Siewert CoordinatorConservation Council of Western Australia (Inc.)

Ms Clare Walsh/Ms Linda Raynor Environmental Policy OfficerWestern Australian Municipal Association


STATE WEED PLAN STEERING GROUP

The Steering Group to develop the State Weed Plan was formed in March 1999, with a broadrepresentation of the skills, experience and issues relevant to stakeholders. The Steering Group hasencouraged wide participation, and several additional members have brought with them addi-tional skills and new perspectives.

Stakeholder contributionsIn addition to the broad input to development of the State Weed Plan achieved via the diversemembership of the Steering Group, the following methods have been used to ensure maximumcapture of ideas and definition of priorities.

• State Weed Plan Reference Group – A broad stakeholder group has contributed via two work-shops and input through the Steering Group members. The Reference Group has 67 members,and includes representatives of 53 government, industry and community organisations.

• Plan Discussion paper – 3000 copies of a State Weed Plan discussion paper were distributed.

• Public meetings – Presentations by the Steering Group Chairperson and consultants, and publicdiscussions of issues, ideas and priorities were held at:Busselton - 39 attendees from community and industry groups, LGAs and government agenciesKatanning - 20 attendees from community and industry groups, LGAs and government agenciesMoora - 12 attendees from community and industry groups, LGAs and government agenciesSouth Perth - 27 attendees from the Environmental Weeds Action Network, Urban Bushland Counciland other community groupsBentley - 11 attendees from Local and State Governments.

• Consultations – the consultants to the Steering Group met individually with a number of keystakeholders.

• Public submissions – 12 written submissions from members of the public were received by theExecutive Officer.

• Draft plan distribution –3500 copies of the draft State Weed Plan were distributed to all identifiedstakeholder organisations and to public libraries throughout the State.

• Comments on the draft State Weed Plan – 80 written submissions from members of the publicwere received by the Executive Officer.

weed plan for western australia - research library

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