Work is well underway to locally eradicate 20 priority weeds that threaten agriculture and biodiversity across the Hills and Fleurieu region. 

Towards Eradication: 20 Weeds by 2023 is a two year project, funded by the state government’s Landscape Priority Fundi, delivered by the Hills and Fleurieu

Landscape Board with help from private landholders, local councils and state government agencies. 

The $600K project uses a two-pronged approach to get on top of some established and emerging weeds of concern across the region. 

In many cases the board works directly with landholders to tackle the priority weeds where they occur on private property. 

It also works in partnership with the region’s six local councils, National Parks and Wildlife Service, SA Water and the Department of Infrastructure and Transport, to eradicate weeds on roadsides and in reserves. 

Susan Ivory, Team Leader Pests and Land, says the project will develop clear eradication plans that will be carried out in a staged approach to result in long-term local eradication. 

“We are working with landholders to monitor and identify where these 20 weeds are currently established and providing detailed eradication plans to help combat their spread. 

“The list of 20 target weeds can be found on our website and if anyone suspects they have any on their property, they should contact us for help with a control strategy. 

“We are already seeing positive outcomes across the region, with weeds including Spanish broom, Tufted honey-flower, Sagittaria, Mexican Feather Grass and White weeping broom being identified and recorded in a new weed mapping app, which has also been developed for the project. 

“We can now implement control and monitoring programs with contractors and the landholders,” she says. 

“While the ‘Towards Eradication’ project is very targeted and deliberate in its delivery, our landscape officers have extensive experience working with private landholders on weed management programs, and are always on-hand for general weed identification and control advice for all pest plant species. 

“Landholders have a responsibility to control declared weeds on their property and best practice weed management starts with the basic principle that effort in the early period of weed invasion provides significant long term efficiencies and value for money.” 

Find out more about the project and access weed control advice and information on the Landscape SA website.