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Willows blocking a watercourse
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Some plants are seen as so counter-productive that land managers have a statutory obligation to control them. Contact your Land Management Program officer.
However, many other plant species are regarded as weeds as they can limit an enterprise’s productivity or reduce the biodiversity of remnant native vegetation.
If a land manager’s aim is to benefit from the vegetation on the farm, plant species will fall into either a desirable or undesirable category. Being aware of vegetation characteristics is essential when planning land management. Exotic perennials may present a fire hazard and some have become invasive.
Controlling weeds in a tangled gully or on a rank riverbank may seem an epic task, but the most effective method of control may not be immediate and total removal. Removal of woody weeds may lead to a loss of habitat for local native species and should be evaluated with advice from the Department of Environment and Heritage. Baring the soil may result in erosion and is often the condition that allowed weeds to establish in the first place.
Long-term control may be better achieved withselective targeting and the establishment of desirable competitors. Pasture species may be selected for if they are not grazed before seed set while weedy grasses can be grazed to stop them setting seed.
How does it affect you and your catchment?
The establishment of plant species away from their natural environment can pose a threat to sustainable productivity and biodiversity.
The conditions necessary for weed species to spread vary greatly. Knowledge of a weed’s biology is essential if control methods are to be successful. Most properties in the Mount Lofty Ranges will have either agricultural or environmental weeds that need to be controlled to some degree.
Most importantly, land managers should be familiar with the vegetation of their local area so that they can react to new weed infestations before they become difficult or costly to control.
Commercially unproductive land should be fenced and replanted to native vegetation. Areas managed this way should harbor fewer weeds, weeds that may recolonize your valuable sown pastures.
Management Options
- Monitor the occurrence of weeds on your property (record locations on your property management plan). Identify weed-free areas and keep them free of weeds.
- Establish and manage perennial vegetation cover to out-compete weeds. Seek expert information and advice on the best way to maintain a weed-free property.
- Regulate livestocking rates to avoid selective grazing.
- Cooperate with your neighbours to combat shared weed problems.
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Acknowledgement
Special thanks to the Upper River Torrens Landcare Group for their assistance in preparing this material.