Land managers – such as government agencies, private landholders, developers and community groups – are often tasked with the responsibility of protecting bushland areas against degradation from weeds. Practical Ecology can effectively identify and control weeds, helping increase bushland quality.
Weed control is usually part of a broader plan for managing native vegetation, such as a council’s Property Management Plan or a developer’s requirement to offset the effect of construction. Weed control is legislated under the Catchment and Land Protection Act, whereby landowners, public and private, need to control noxious weeds on their land. Local council bylaws may also require action against specific weeds. Community groups seeking to protect and improve their reserves often initiate weed control. Practical Ecology also increasingly works with environmentally-aware landholders wanting to improve the quality of vegetation on their blocks.
Practical Ecology alters the ecological balance in favour indigenous plants through sensitive weed control, allowing these plants to re-establish and provide habitat for the native animals that rely upon them.
We work closely with clients to establish weed control priorities and techniques. Weed control methods include: controlling invasive shrubs and trees by ‘cut and paint’ or ‘drill and fill’, reducing grassy weeds by selective burning (using handheld ‘weedburners’), sensitive backpack herbicide spraying (avoiding off-target damage and often using broad-leaf or grass specific products) and targeted hand-weeding.
Practical Ecology have the plant identification skills to recognise weed species and the experience to know the best timing and technique to eliminate them. We pride ourselves on working sensitively to restore remnant indigenous vegetation while communicating our progress to clients and the public.
Practical Ecology has built a strong relationship with the city of Whitehorse in eastern Melbourne, writing several of their reserve’s management plans and then following these to carry out the works on the ground.
In Yarran Dheran Reserve assessments have clearly shown the effectiveness of our monthly weed control. A focus on native vegetation retention, restoration and revegetation, as well as targeting serious environmental weeds in areas of high quality bushland, have resulted in a marked improvement in vegetation quality. Our familiarity with the reserve and depth of plant knowledge means we are able to control weeds at the most effective time using the most effective methods.
Particular target weeds include angled onion, sweet pittosporum, blackberry and soursob.
By establishing constructive relationships with council and friends’ groups, Practical Ecology have been able to employ an integrated weed control strategy to improve native vegetation quality in the City of Whitehorse.
Map: Native Vegetation Quality of Yarran Dheran Reserve, Mitcham
Hawkweed Control, Parks Victoria, Alpine National Park 2007–
King devil hawkweed and orange hawkweed are State Prohibited Weeds with the ability to flower and set seed within 14 days, producing up to 40 000 seeds per square meter. Infestations can spread quickly and blanket the ground, forming dense mats that limit biodiversity. The weed, a native of Asia and Europe, has already become a serious problem in New Zealand, the USA and Canada. In Australia the only known infestations occur in the Alpine National Park near the Rocky Valley Dam. Since 2007, Parks Victoria has employed Practical Ecology to conduct seasonal eradication programs with the aim of eliminating these potentially devastating weeds from Australia.
Practical Ecology was tasked with ensuring no seed was set in the flowering/seeding season. Our crews surveyed known infestations and treated plants with selective herbicide to prevent flowering. Where flowers or seeds were present, they were carefully placed in bottles containing bleach to prevent further spread. Practical Ecology also surveyed for new infestations, locating several new outbreaks which were successfully controlled.
By working closely with Parks Victoria, Practical Ecology were able to achieve the target of preventing seed-set and eliminating 95% of plants year upon year.
Photo: Sensitive herbicide application on Hawkweed, Alpine National Park.
Our office will close on Friday Dec 23rd, 2011 and re-open Tuesday January...
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Staff at Practical Ecology celebrated Ride to Work Day on 12th October 2011...
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PE has recently undertaken several large-scale ecological connectivity...
Practical Ecology has been busy with many fire related projects over the...
