NSW Bitou Bush Threat Abatement Plan - Department of ...

68
Threat Abatement Plan - Invasion of native plant communities by Chrysanthemoides monilifera
Community groups and bitou bush control
There is strong community support for bitou bush management in New South Wales. Hundreds of
volunteers along the coast have contributed significantly to its control over the past several
decades. These efforts require external support due to the scale of the problem. A further
discussion on the role of community groups and bitou bush is presented in the NSW Strategy
(NPWS 2001a).
While there are many community groups working in coastal ecosystems in New South Wales, not
all of them are undertaking work associated with bitou bush management. It is important from the
perspective of this TAP to know which groups are undertaking bitou bush control, for several
reasons. First, to raise awareness of the TAP and its objectives. Second, to provide training and
guidance where needed to achieve wider implementation of the TAP. Last, to identify the high
priority sites requiring the support of additional volunteers and/or other resources. Evaluation of
the work undertaken by volunteers would help with identification of training needs for volunteers,
as well as providing an assessment of the volunteer component at each control category 1 site.
Community involvement and training
A recent study estimated that expenditure on bitou bush and boneseed control programs in
Australia was between $1–2 million p.a. (Centre for International Economics 2001).
Approximately half the input into bitou bush control is estimated to come from in-kind support
from the work of volunteers involved in community programs like Dunecare and Coastcare
(NPWS unpublished data). In line with the Australian Government and state governments’
commitment to community involvement in natural resource management, the Bitou TAP
encourages community involvement at all sites, not just those in control category 1. Some
members of the community and stakeholders may however require training before they can
undertake some control actions to:
< limit damage associated with implementing control techniques, especially where
specific techniques are required (e.g. P. spicata).
< prevent inadvertent damage to conservation values through incorrect identification of
plant species (e.g. the need to distinguish between juveniles/seedlings of bitou bush
and Scaevola calendulacea which are both common on fore-dunes).
< ensure that threatened species, populations and ecological communities are adequately
protected under the TSC Act (see Section 2.2.2).
< comply with regulations relating to undertaking work on threatened species, as per the
TSC Act.
< comply with regulations under the Pesticides Act. Accreditation may require some
stakeholders/community members to gain specific skills.
Similar training for volunteers and stakeholders is also a priority in both the NSW bitou bush
strategy (see NPWS 2001a) and the North Coast strategy (see Scanlon 2001).
Performance criteria for Action 4.1
< Source training providers and develop training courses/programs.
< Maintain accredited training programs throughout the five year duration of the TAP, to
accommodate new volunteers and offer updates and refresher courses.
< Establish a database of those who are working/volunteering at high priority sites, and monitor
their progress at regular intervals during the life of the Bitou TAP.