Weeds are plants that invade areas where they do not belong. They destroy original ecosystems, damage health and restrict optimum usage of land. They often spread from backyards when people dump garden clippings onto road reserves, vacant land or near bushland. Birds and animals carry them on their fur so they need to be inhibited as much as possible. Fragments of weeds – bulbs, roots, tubers, seeds, spores – more adapted to the artificially enriched soils of urban areas than native plants, sprout easily, and outcompete the original ecosystem. Native bushland is smothered. When the weeds decay they increase soil and water nutrient load. When they die they build up a fuel load and there is greater threat from fire in many cases. They threaten the very existence of wildlife that is already endangered, plant and animal. Plant pathogens (diseases) can also destroy native ecosystems.
Careless disposal of garden waste spreads weeds and endangers precious natural areas
Find out which weeds can be safely composted
Some must go to landfill only
Help preserve our natural heritage
| HOW INVASIVE PLANTS INVADE BUSHLAND |
HOW TO PREVENT THIS |
| Growing a plant that is invasive | Replace an invasive plant with one that belongs in your area and that is food and shelter for the native life forms of any local bush. Your council will have a list of these indigenous native plants. |
| Blown by wind | Where you see weed seed blown by wind, alert the person responsible for managing the land to the problem. Do not keep an invasive plant with windblown seed. It will travel far and wide. |
| Carried by animals on fur/feathers | The only way to stop this is to not permit the weed to exist. Advise anyone of an invasive plant which has seeds that can stick to creatures or clothes to get rid of it, or stop it seeding by frequent mowing. |
| Carried by water | Never leave a weed pile near a creek edge or within a flood zone. Sudden storms will wash it downstream where it will spread. |
| Sprouting from sections of the plant (vegetative spread) | Never dump any garden waste in or near bushland. Compost it so that the heat of the process ‘cooks’ the part that reproduces. For some weeds this is very difficult and it is better that they go to landfill. Don’t put weeds like that in the green waste bin or facility from which it could spread to other gardens or bush reserves. |
| On vehicles, machinery, mud or mulch | Clean gardening equipment where you have used it on weeds to prevent transport of seed beyond. Wash down your car in an area where you can catch the weed seed if you have driven through any. Beware of mud on machinery. Be careful of mulch that you use…it could contain weed seed propagules. Report any weed seed in mulch to supplier, and complain. |
| Not enough people controlling weeds the correct way | JOIN your local bushcare group and help clean up the public reserves and bushland areas in your neighbourhood. Contact your local Council to find a bushcare group. Most councils will have a bushcare officer…LINK TO BUSHCARE GROUPS |