NSW to better manage established weeds

“Effective weed management starts with stopping weeds from entering Australia, eradicating weeds which have crossed our borders ? when feasible ? and managing the negative impacts of established weeds,” Mr Littleproud said.

NSW Agriculture Minister Adam Marshall said the two projects would help NSW land managers, the community and industry to better manage the impacts of established weeds.

“NSW DPI is working with land managers to develop updated best practice management guidelines for invasive grasses,” Mr Marshall said.

“The project will implement stage two of the National Invasive Grasses Research, Development & Engagement Business Plan to establish 21 demonstration sites across NSW, which will highlight best-practice management of serrated tussock, Chilean needle grass and African lovegrass.

“Another project will help future-proof Australia’s post-border weed risk management systems by improving the weed risk management process to add post-disturbance risk capability and creating a national, web-based, weed risk management system to better enable land managers to assess weed risk, support decision making capability and prioritise management actions.”

Mr Littleproud said Australia had some of the most resilient farmers in the world, who did a great job in managing the impact of pest animals and weeds on their land.

“However, we recognise that there is a need to improve the skills and capacity of farmers and land managers, and the tools available to them, to better manage pest animals and weeds,” he said.

The NSW Government is also providing more than $1 million of cash and in-kind support to the invasive grasses project and shouldering the in-kind contributions to the weed risk assessment system project, with support from Victoria, South Australia and the ACT.

“These projects are a great example of how strong collaboration across governments and land managers can improve the management of established pest animals and weeds,” Mr Littleproud said.