Pest plant species 2004

Pest plant species - 2004

Home | Biodiversity |Conserving Biodiversity | Pest Plant Species | 2004

Indicator description

What information is available for Shoalhaven

Pest Plant Species

Noxious Weeds Categories

Marine Pest Plants

Caulerpa taxifolia In the Shoalhaven

Pest Plant Species

Pest plant species including both environmental and noxious weeds continue to be a problem throughout the Shoalhaven Local Government Area (LGA). The following table presents a list of plants currently declared noxious in the Shoalhaven LGA.

Table 9 - Declared List of Noxious Weeds in the Shoalhaven

Common name	Scientific name	*Category see table below for category descriptions**
African boxthorn	Lycium ferocissimum	W2
African love grass	Eragrostis curvula	W2
Alligator weed	Alternanthera philoxeroides	W1
Bathurst Noogoora Californian Cockle burrs	Xanthium spp.	W2
Bitou bush Boneseed	Chrysanthemoides monilifera	W2
Black knapweed	Centaurea nigra	W1
Blackberry	Rubus fruticosus (agg. spp.)	W2
Broomrape	Orobanche spp.	W1
Cabomba	Cabomba spp.	W4g
Crofton weed	Ageratina adenophora	W2
Dodder	Cuscuta campestris	W2
Fireweed	Senecio madagascariensis	W2/W3
Giant Parramatta grass	Sporobolus fertilis syn. Sporobolus indicus var. major	W2
Gorse	Ulex europaeus	W2
Green cestrum	Cestrum parqui	W2
Harrisia cactus	Harrisia spp.	W4f
Hawkweed	Hieracium spp.	W1
Horsetail	Equisetum spp.	W1
Karroo thorn	Acacia karroo	W1
Kochia	Kochia scoparia	W1
Lagarosiphon	Lagarosiphon major	W1
Mexican feather grass	Nassella tenuissima syn Stipa tenuissima	W1
Miconia	Miconia spp.	W1
Mistflower	Ageratina riparia	W2
Nodding thistle	Carduus nutans	W2
Pampas grass	Cortaderia spp.	W2
Parthenium weed	Parthenium hysterophorus	W1
Prickly pears	Opuntia spp.	W4f
Privet - broadleaf	Ligustrum lucidum	W4b
Privet - narrowleaf	Ligustrum sinense	W4b
Rhus tree	Toxicodendron succedaneum	W2
Salvinia	Salvinia molesta	W1
Scotch English broom	Cytisus scoparius	W2
Senegal tea plant	Gymnocoronis spilanthoides	W1
Serrated tussock	Nassella trichotoma	W2
Siam weed	Chromolaena odorata	W1
Spotted knapweed	Centaurea maculosa	W1
St John's wort	Hypericum perforatum	W2
Water hyacinth	Eichhornia crassipes	W2
Water lettuce	Pistia stratiotes	W1
Willows	Salix spp.	W4g

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Noxious Weeds Categories

W1	The presence of the weed on land must be notified to the local control authority and the weed must be fully and continuously suppressed and destroyed.
W2	The weed must be fully and continuously suppressed and destroyed.
W3	The weed must be prevented from spreading and its numbers and distribution reduced.
W4a	The weed must not be sold, propagated or knowingly distributed and any part of the weed must be prevented from growing within 3 metres of the boundary of a property.
W4b	The weed must not be sold, propagated or knowingly distributed and any existing weed must be prevented from flowering and fruiting.
W4c	The weed must not be sold, propagated or knowingly distributed and the weed must be prevented from spreading to an adjoining property.
W4d	The weed: (a) must not be sold, propagated or knowingly distributed; and (b) must be fully and continuously suppressed and destroyed unless it is: � listed on the state heritage register under the Heritage Act 1977; listed for preservation or protection as a heritage item under an Environmental Planning Instrument under the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979; � listed for preservation or protection in a tree preservation order of the council for the Local Government area; � included for preservation or protection in a Plan of Management for a local government area under section 40 of the Local Government Act 1993; or � included for preservation or protection in a noxious weed policy or a noxious weed control program approved by the local control authority for the area for which it is the local control authority.
W4e	The weed must be fully and continuously suppressed and destroyed. All reasonable precautions must be taken to ensure produce, soil, livestock, equipment and vehicles are free of the weed before sale or movement from an infested area of the property.
W4f	The weed must not be sold, propagated or knowingly distributed. Any biological control or other control program directed by the local control authority must be implemented.
W4g	The weed must not be sold, propagated or knowingly distributed.

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Shoalhaven has an extensive Bushcare network. In a recent survey of Bushcare members the following weeds were voted the worst 25 for the Shoalhaven LGA: Asparagus Fern & Climbing Asparagus, Bitou Bush & Boneseed , Blackberry, Bridal Veil Creeper, Camphor Laurel, Coprosma, Coral Tree, Dipogan, Fishbone Fern, Formosum, Lily, Honeysuckle, Inkweed, Ivy, Lantana, Madeira Vine, Madeira Winter Cherry, Montbretia, Morning Glory and Coastal Morning Glory, Moth Vine, Ochna, Pampas Grass, Privet (small & large leaf), Senna, Turkey Rhubarb and Wandering Jew.

There are three main native plants that are causing problems as weeds in the Shoalhaven: Pittosporum undulatum, Acacia saligna and Grevillea robusta. These plants although native to Australia are behaving like weeds in the Shoalhaven LGA.

There are a large number of exotic plants growing in urban areas particularly suburban gardens, which threaten the survival of remnant native bushland adjacent to developed areas. Exotic species are imported from other countries for ornamental, agricultural or soil conservation purposes. These plants threaten to replace Australian plants, degrade the value of remnant vegetation and in some cases restrict access and aesthetic value of remnant areas. Noxious and environmental weeds are of particular concern to urban remnants. Weeds are opportunistic, easily spread and multiply quickly. Weeds spread from urban areas through planting adjacent to remnants, dumping of rubbish, bird and animal dispersal of seeds and wind and water transportation from backyards to our native remnants. Exotic plants can also lead to the poisoning of native wildlife.

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Marine Pest Plants

NSW Fisheries is the agency responsible for managing marine pests in NSW. The invasive marine plant, cold tolerant Caulerpa taxifolia threatens coastal ecosystems in NSW. By growing quickly, it over runs seagrasses and alters marine habitats. Caulerpa taxifolia can easily be spread. Pieces that break off can start whole new plants. Even after a week out of water, if in a warm damp place such as a wetsuit or anchor well, pieces can start a new plant.

How to recognise it:
Caulerpa taxifolia is a bright green seaweed with a characteristic 'creeping' stem called the stolon. The stolon can measure over 1 m in length and is fixed to the bottom by the 'roots' called rhizoids. The stolon bears 'leaves' or fronds. The fronds can be 5 to 65 cm in length.

Photo: Alan Millar, Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney

Report sightings of Caulerpa taxifolia to NSW Fisheries on (02) 8437 4953.
Contact: Patrick Dwyer
Email: dwyerp@fisheries.nsw.gov.au

Source and further information: NSW Fisheries: www.fisheries.nsw.gov.au

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Caulerpa taxifolia In the Shoalhaven

This marine pest has been identified in Lake Conjola, Burrill Lake, Narrawallee Inlet and St Georges Basin. The algae appears to have been present in Lake Conjola for at least 10 years, and has spread in the lake to the stage where it has covered much of the aquatic vegetation and substrate around the lake margins and shallow areas.

NSW Fisheries are undertaking monitoring, containment and control works in line with the aims and objectives of the Caulerpa Control Plan (available from NSW Fisheries). Council contributes in-kind support to these efforts as requested, such as assisting with education campaigns and mailouts. Additionally Council has provided wash down bays at key public access sites to affected estuaries to minimize the risk of spread. Regular audits are carried out and replacement equipment and refinements or additions to signage carried out.

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