Mosaic Map: NRM funded projects
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Local Councils join forces to tackle weeds problem
Orielton Lagoon is an internationally-listed Ramsar wetland
The lagoon features important habitat for waterbirds
A view across the lagoon
Weeds don't stop at municipal borders, and four local councils in Southern Tasmania are working on a unified approach to stop the pests from becoming a serious problem.
The Southern Natural Resource Management Regional Committee has started a trial project aimed at a cross-municipal, cross-tenure, weed control program tackling boneseed, bridal creeper and sea spurge.
Funding
Work is supported with $370,000 from the Australian Government and contributions from the State Government.
Activities and achievements
Marine and Coastal Coordinator Fleur O'Neill says each council has had to change its way of thinking towards a regional approach.
"This can be a challenge when the councils involved are distinctively different," Fleur said. "Tasman is a small rural council with low rate base, Glamorgan Spring Bay is a municipal area bordering the east coast, Sorell is the second fastest growing municipality and Clarence is one of Tasmania's biggest cities.
"The councils now see their work as having a larger outcome. They plan to bring each weed strategy to the table and cross-reference with the realisation that not everyone's going to have the same priority - maybe just one that benefits all of them."
A temporary weed coordinator will be shared among councils, and experts will help train crews on weeding techniques, the best time to weed and applying chemicals.
"We're aiming for 21 priority sites across municipalities such as East Marsh Lagoon, Roches Beach, Seven- and Five-mile Beaches, Pirates Bay and Swansea foreshore," Fleur said.
"Before work can commence Aboriginal heritage assessments need to be done because coastal locations such as Lime Bay in the Tasman are known to be culturally significant."
Rehabilitation work will also be carried out on the International Ramsar Site, Orielton Lagoon, which is a seasonal home to the Eastern Curlew and Great Crested Grebe. About a kilometre will be fenced to buffer the vegetation from foot traffic and to protect birds from dogs and trail bike users. Signage to raise awareness about threatened species will be placed across 24 sites including Fortescue Bay, Marion Bay and Millington's Beach. The focus is on shorebirds such as the Little Tern and Fairy Tern, as well as wetland and coastal plants such as the rare Blue Wilsonia and Sea Lavender. "Local government, community associations, regional bodies and state government are really talking, making decisions and working together to achieve real outcomes," Fleur said.
More information
- Regional NRM Facilitator: (03) 6208 6101 or regional.facilitator@nrmsouth.org.au
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