Eyes in the sky zoom in on invasive weeds

Published on 07 April 2022

Council officers from the Hunter Region are taking to the sky in their fight against invasive weeds causing havoc on the ground.

Aerial inspections underway this week have specifically targeted groundsel bush, a dense, woody shrub native to the USA that competes with native vegetation and reduces the productivity of agricultural land.

Comprising councils and large public land-managers from across the region, the Hunter Regional Weeds Committee is using helicopter surveillance to identify problem areas from the coast to Branxton in the west, south to Wyee and as far north as Taree.

“Groundsel bushes are covered in white flowers at this time of year, so they’re very easy to spot from the air,” Lake Macquarie City Council Senior Natural Assets Officer Dominic Edmonds said.

“Using a helicopter, we can cover the same amount of terrain in a few hours that would take weeks to survey from the ground.”

Crews are paying particular attention to stands of bush along the region’s rail lines, where passing trains blow and spread the shrub’s seeds.

Once identified and mapped, ground crews are sent to eradicate the weed.

The program is funded through Hunter Local Land Services’ Weeds Action Program.

Port Stephens Council Environmental Operations Team Leader Jordan Skinner said officers were also targeting pampas grass, which outcompetes native vegetation and creates fire hazards.

“This is a really effective, efficient program that limits the spread of these weeds, saving our environment and protecting important agricultural areas,” he said.

Groundsel bush was first introduced to Australia as an ornamental plant in the 1800s, spreading as a weed to northern NSW by the mid-1960s.

It tolerates a wide range of soil types and thrives even in waterlogged, acid and saline conditions, posing significant threat to the Hunter’s protected coastal salt marsh environment.

Mr Skinner said it was gradually moving further south.

“In its native habitat in the United States, it is frost-tolerant and occurs in places where there are regular snowfalls,” he said.

“That means there’s the real possibility of it spreading further inland into colder areas, where it could cause serious issues.”

Hunter Local Land Services General Manager and Hunter Regional Weeds Committee Chair Brett Miners said the program demonstrated the effectiveness of a collaborative approach to tackling weeds.

“Utilising technology and combining resources across the region is a great way to combat invasive weeds impacting the Hunter and Mid Coast,” he said.

“Identifying priority weed species and working together to control and reduce weed spread benefits the whole community.”

Almost 30 stakeholder groups form the committee, including local councils, Crown Lands, the Australian Rail Track Corporation, Hunter Water, Local Land Services and the NSW Farmers Association.

Aerial surveying is expected to finish this week, with crews sent out to eliminate the weeds in coming weeks.

Go to lls.nsw.gov.auto find out more about priority weeds and the Hunter Regional Strategic Weed Management Plan.

For more information on groundsel bush and information on control options visit NSW WeedWise