Tasmanian organisations to wage war on weeds

Primary Industries Minister Gavin Pearce says the government is deploying more resources in its war against weeds.

Stage three of the Weeds Action Fund has been rolled out, with $1.2 million handed out to four organisations to tackle species such as Chilean needle grass, serrated tussock, rice grass, Spanish heath, foxglove, ragwort, stemless thistle, orange hawkweed, red inkweed, willows and brooms.

The following projects have received funding for stage three:

• North-West and Western Tasmania Priority Weeds, $400,000. Delivered by Cradle Coast Authority
• Furneaux Islands Priority Weeds, $200,000. Delivered by NRM North
• Invasive Perennial Grasses: Northern and Western Tasmania, $100,000. Delivered by Island Regen P/L
• Invasive Perennial Grasses: Southern and Eastern Tasmania, $150,000. Delivered by Island Regen P/L
• Foxglove Education and Awareness (Tas. wide), $90,000. Delivered by Enviro-Dynamics P/L
• Emerging Priority Weed Threats (Tas. wide), $250,000. Delivered by Enviro-Dynamics P/L

Mr Pearce said that the effective management and removal of invasive weeds was essential to enhancing the productivity of agricultural land.

“Landowners, government and the broader community have been working hand in hand for years to address eradication of high priority weeds in Tasmania,” he said.

“Weeds know no borders, which is why a joint approach that supports shared responsibility has been so successful in achieving positive outcomes.

“The projects will cover the ground works, producing weed management plans and strategies, holding workshops and field days across the state, and developing educational materials including videos, brochures and identification guides.”

The previous two rounds of the Weed Action Fund had resulted in $3.6 million of government funding allocated to management projects, which Mr Pearce said had “made significant improvements to local areas”.

The Cradle Coast Authority is one of the recipients of stage three funding, which it will use to develop a Regional Weed Strategy.

Cradle Coast NRM regional weeds coordinator Petra Wilden said the strategy would identify priority weed infestations for future management programs, highlight opportunities for capacity-building, and recommend best practice monitoring and evaluation processes.

“The existing volunteer and professional networks across the region are vital to shaping the project’s direction and outcomes and have the potential to significantly enhance the success of our initiatives.”