NSW WRM system - Guiding principles for management

Guiding principles for management

The guiding principles for each of the management categories in the matrix are discussed below. At a landscape scale these principles need to be interpreted in terms of the different outcomes needed for each land use for each weed. For example, a weed may rank as "destroy infestations" in one land use and "limited action" in others. In this case coordinated control may still be required in the latter land use to enable protection of the former land use. In assessing the management categories, it is important to consider the impact of weeds on individual sites and to manage weeds to protect these sites, if appropriate.

The term "geographic area" can be applied to a range of scales, for example it can be applied to the state of New South Wales, to regions or catchments such as groups of local councils or Local Land Services respectively, to individual Local Control Areas, and may even be applied to individual land management units, for example a farm or a National park.

Three management categories below, that is 'Protect Priority Sites', 'Manage Weed' and 'Manage Sites' discuss the need to identify key sites/assets in the geographic area and to manage these sites/assets from the weed threat. A process to determine biodiversity sites/assets that are at risk from weeds has been developed by Downey et al. (2009). Use of this process is discussed elsewhere (Johnson and Charlton 2009).

Alert

Species that are not known to be present in the geographic area being considered and which represent a significant threat. Such species would score "0" in feasibility of coordinated control due to their absence.

Aims to prevent the species arriving and establishing in the management area being considered

• Prevention of entry to geographic area.
• Ongoing surveillance for incursions of the species, for example nursery inspections.
• Training and awareness activities for the community to enable early detection.

Eradication

Aims to remove the weed species from the geographic area being considered

• Detailed surveillance and mapping to locate all infestations.
• Destruction of all infestations including seed banks.
• Prevention of entry to geographic area, and movement and sale within.
• Must not grow and all cultivated plants to be removed.
• Monitor progress towards eradication.

Destroy infestations

Aims to significantly reduce the extent of the weed species in the geographic area being considered

• Detailed surveillance and mapping to locate all infestations.
• Destruction of all infestations, aiming at local eradication where feasible.
• Prevention of entry to geographic area, and movement and sale within.
• Must not grow.
• Monitor progress towards reduction.

Contain spread

Aims to prevent the ongoing spread of the weed species in the geographic area being considered

• Surveillance and mapping to locate all infested properties.
• Control of all infestations, aiming for a significant reduction in weed density.
• Prevention of entry to geographic area, and movement and sale within.
• Must not allow to spread from cultivated plants (if grown).
• Monitor change in current distribution.

Protect priority sites

Aims to prevent the spread of the weed species to key sites/assets of high economic, environmental and/or social value

• Weed may be of limited current distribution and only threatens limited industries/habitats (lower weed risk), or the weed may be more widespread but is yet to invade/impact upon many key industries/habitats (higher weed risk).
• Surveillance and mapping to locate all infested areas.
• Identification of key sites/assets in the geographic area.
• Control of infestations in close proximity to key sites/assets, aiming for a significant reduction in weed density.
• Limits on movement and sale of species within geographic area.
• Must not allow to spread from cultivated plants (if grown) in close proximity to key sites/assets.
• Monitor change in current distribution within and in close proximity to key sites/assets.

Manage weed

Aims to reduce the overall economic, environmental and/or social impacts of the weed species through targeted management

• Research and develop Integrated Weed Management (IWM) packages for the species, including herbicides and biological control where feasible.
• Promote IWM packages to landholders.
• Monitor decrease in weed impacts with improved management.
• Identify key sites/assets in the geographic area and ensure adequate resourcing to manage the weed species.

Manage sites

Aims to maintain the overall economic, environmental and/or social value of key sites/assets through improved general weed management

• Promote general IWM principles to landholders, including the range of control techniques, maintaining competitive vegetation/crops/pastures, hygiene and property management plans.
• Identify key sites/assets in the geographic area and ensure adequate resourcing to manage these to maintain their values.
• Broaden focus beyond weeds to all threatening processes.

Monitor

Aims to detect any significant changes in the species' weed risk

• Monitor the spread of the species and review any perceived changes in weediness.

Limited action

The weed species would only be targeted for coordinated control in the geographic area being considered if its local presence makes it likely to spread to land uses where it ranks as a higher priority

• Undertake control measures if required for the benefit of other land uses at risk.
• Otherwise limited advice to land managers if required.

Determining priorities

Weed Matrix

The following matrix gives guidance on appropriate strategic weed management actions. Different weed species will appear in different positions on the matrix based on their weed risk and feasibility of coordinated control scores.

Acknowledgements and References

Author: Dr Stephen Johnson
Industry and Investment New South Wales
ORANGE NSW 2800
September 2009

Other acknowledgements

References cited

Other information sources