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Weeds under the spotlight in comprehensive review

MEDIA RELEASE       

20 October, 2011

Biosecurity SA is inviting public comment on a review of policies on weeds declared under the Natural Resources Management (NRM) Act in South Australia. The first batch of revised policies is now available for public comment and can be viewed on the Natural Resource Management in SA website.

Executive Director, Biosecurity SA, Will Zacharin, said that the last comprehensive review of regulated weed species occurred in 1991. In the two decades since then, knowledge of how weeds affected the landscape had increased and unfortunately new weeds had emerged.

“Weed species need to be declared under the NRM Act if they pose a significant threat to South Australia’s primary industries, natural environment or public safety,” he said.

“We review policies to ensure that the declaration of weeds reflects the priorities of the community through the NRM boards, and is backed up by scientific evidence.”

Over coming months, four batches of new weed policies will be released outlining how NRM boards will manage particular weed species in their regions and what provisions of the NRM Act are needed to empower these management programs. Comment is being sought from land managers, producers and members of the public on the new policies and weeds being proposed for declaration.

“The first batch of weed policies released for consultation includes species where only minor changes are proposed to the existing declarations. Weeds such as boxthorn, dodders and water hyacinth are included in this first batch.” Mr Zacharin said.

“It is important the community provides us with feedback on these new policies as there may be concerns about how a particular weed is being managed, or gaps in our knowledge of how it is affecting the land.”

The public consultation period for the first batch of new state weed policies will run for eight weeks, ending on Friday 16 December 2011. The draft policies can be downloaded from the Natural Resource Management in SA website at www.nrm.sa.gov.au/GetInvolved/PlantDeclarationReview.aspx

Mr Zacharin said later policy releases would cover weed species where more significant changes to existing policies were proposed or where new weed species were being considered for declaration.

People wanting more information regarding the weed declarations review should contact their regional NRM board, or Biosecurity SA.