Bushland Weeds Manual - Environmental Weeds Action Network

100
Final Note
In the end, environmental weed management is about
protection of our unique bushlands through carefully
targeted and effective on-ground actions – on-ground
actions that prevent introduction or spread of
environmental weeds, and work towards their control and
sometimes their eradication while protecting complex
natural systems. The case studies outlined in the various
chapters highlight the importance of having clear goals
based on an understanding of the conservation values of a
particular site, a thorough knowledge of the weed/s being
targeted and a well-defined strategy. Sometimes it takes a
series of trials and a number of years to formulate such
strategies. To gain an understanding of the effectiveness of
those strategies monitoring needs to be in place and
results should guide management actions. This kind of
framework, together with the resources to support it, is
central to effective environmental weed management.
Access to technical resources stands out as particularly
important. This seems especially true for weed
management in the bushlands of south west Western
Australia as they support such an incredibly diverse flora.
Effective management is often about knowing and
understanding very complex systems. In addition though,
technical support is also important for setting up trials
and putting in place monitoring. One of the most valuable
undertakings of this project has been the work carried out
in conjunction with the various land managers setting up
replicated trials to test various control options for serious
weeds, and the impacts of those control options on native
plant communities. This approach provided solid data to
guide management actions, and also provided
demonstrable outcomes to potential funding sources. At
the same time, community volunteers involved gained an
understanding of the options available, including the
practicalities, costs and impacts of various physical and
chemical control methods. They were then able to make
informed decisions about implementation of those control
options across particular bushland sites.
Typical examples include the trials on management of
Yellow Soldier (Lachenalia reflexa) in Shenton Bushland,
on control of Harlequin Flower, (Sparaxis bulbifera) and
Tribolium (Tribolium uniolae) invading the Brixton Street
Wetlands and the work on Taro (Colocasia esculenta) along
the Gingin Brook. The work on Holly-leafed Senecio
(Senecio glastifolius) by the Western Australian
Department of Agriculture in Albany provided similar
outcomes. In all of these examples the results of the trial
work provided solid information on which to base
management strategies. Importantly the information
gathered was also often instrumental in acquiring funding
to begin implementation of those strategies across
particular bushland sites. Continued funding over time
was then often facilitated by the collection of monitoring
data. Those data often demonstrated effectiveness of the
strategies, regeneration of native plant communities
and/or provided justification for funding priorities. There
are a number examples throughout the text. Typical is the
series of maps illustrating the reduction of Perennial
Veldgrass (Ehrharta calycina) cover in Shenton Bushland
over four years, and the subsequent allocation of
resources over that time.
Characteristically, most funding for on-ground works over
the life of this project has been in the form of short-term
grants, generally applied for by community volunteers,
although sometimes in conjunction with local or state
government bodies. Often the funding is only available for
12 months and must be re-applied for each year until the
work is complete. Such a system has fairly obvious
shortcomings. Changes in management personnel, or in the
structure of volunteer groups, usually sees a year of
funding missed. A season of follow-up control/management
work is then missed and the efforts of previous years are
wasted. In addition there is little flexibility in the resources
that are available. For example, under such funding
arangements it can be impossible to find money for weed
management following unplanned fire and so an excellent
window of opportunity is often missed.
Clearly successful weed management in natural areas is
dependent on a consistent effort over many years and
access to long-term, secure funding. Certainly, one of the
most encouraging trends, over the life of this project, has
been witnessing both state and local government commit
funding to weed management work originally initiated by
the community, through short-term grants. Government
bodies seem to be able to do this once it becomes
apparent that work is taking place within a clearly
defined strategy, that accurate costing is possible and
there are demonstrable outcomes. Funding for the work
on Harlequin Flower and Tribolium at Brixton St,
Perennial Veldgrass, Yellow Soldier and Freesia control at
Shenton Bushland and management of the serious weed
at Talbot Rd, all initially came about through community
efforts but have subsequently been picked up by state or
local government, often becoming a part of their
recurrent budget. Fundamental to securing this funding
has been the availability of on-ground technical support
to map the weeds, set up trials and conduct monitoring.
The EWAN project officers have provided much of that
technical support.
Part of the intention of writing this manual was to highlight
the need for state and local government authorities to
allocate more resources for technically skilled people,
working on the ground, so that environmental weed
management can start to be undertaken within this sort of
framework. The intention was also to highlight the need to
provide technical support for Friends groups and
community volunteers who carry out much of the bush
regeneration and environmental weed management in
south west Western Australia at present. The examples
provided through the text illustrate what can be achieved
when such support is available.
These examples have mostly focused on protection of
particular bushland patches. Although all are drawn from
south west Western Australia they have relevance for land
managers in other parts of the country. They demonstrate
the importance of knowing and understanding particular
sites and mostly they illustrate that if we really try, often
we can control and manage environmental weeds where
they are threatening what remains of our bushlands.
Significantly, for most of the case studies described,
successful outcomes have been reliant on a combination of
community and local, state and federal government efforts.
Walking through Shenton Bushland in spring 2002, much of
the Perennial Veldgrass and large populations of Freesia
have disappeared. In their place carpets of a native daisy,
Slender Podolepis. At Brixton St the Harlequin Flower
program is down to hand-weeding remaining isolated
populations leaving room for the native herbs to
recolonise, and along the Gingin Brook, where the Friends
have been working, Taro has been replaced by dense
stands of the native Tassel Sedge and seedlings of
Paperbarks and Flooded Gum.