Topics
1 Comment
-
Fw: invasive weeds in bushland in se Australia
2008-07-12 02:42:20 UTC
Hi Lorna & Karen,
There are 2 steps you can take that will make the task so much easier:
1. Control the 'outliers' - these are the small plants or small clusters of your environmental weeds that are at the forefront of the spread of the population onto new ground (yes it helps to think of your weeds are part of a population). This smattering of small plants or clusters of weeds over your land is responsible for most of the further spread of the population onto new ground (i.e. more weeds on your land area) than any widely spaced large clumps of weeds will ever be. The real bonus is, because they are small plants or clusters, the cost in energy or money to do this is very low in comparison to the large clumps. In this small but highly effective and efficient action you have stopped the spread of the weed populations on your land. A repeat every 6 months to 1 year (depending on the species) will keep it like this while you do steps 2 & 3 - even if you never manage to persuade your neighbour.
2. All weeds have habitat requirements. If you take actions to limit or remove their habitat they will not grow. This is true even if their is seed on the ground or being spread by wind/water/fauna or humans (machinery). So ask your self the question for each of the weed species you have "What does it need to germinate/grow"? This may in many cases be simple - for many species they need good light on a bare soil patch. Manipulate either of these conditions and these species will be substantially limited in their ability to spread. So also ask "How does it spread "? Key to this question is whether the plant propagates from pieces of stem.
3. Now address existing colonies and your efforts will really count. Use the answers from your questions in stage 2 to help here too. And talk to your neighbour again. If he sees the success you're having and importantly he is starting to feel the odd one out in the neighbourhood (see this paper to explain what I am referring to: http://www.ccp-online.org/en/details/griskevicius_03.php ) then you may be in luck.
All the Best
Chris
Chris Ferkins
Environmental Coordinator: Parks
Waitakere City Council
Private Bag 93-109
Henderson New Zealand
[email protected]
09 836-8000 ext. 8508
021 280-5361
0 Recommends
You haven't saved any recommendations.
Messaging 0 colleagues