Legislation, Plans and Strategies

The legislative that deals with the management of weeds in NSW is the Biosecurity Act 2015.

Greater Sydney Regional Strategic Weed Management Plan 2023-2027

Regional plans are developed in accordance with the following goals:

• Exclude – prevent the establishment of new invasive species
  We believe that the best way to achieve this is to ensure that any new species planned for release into the regional environment must first undergo a weed risk assessment according to the process established by the state government.

• Eradicate or contain – eliminate or prevent the spread of new invasive species
  An effective regional weed alert system will help to achieve this as will directing regional resources to areas of greatest risk of spread.
• Effectively manage – reduce the impacts of widespread invasive species
  This involves controlling weeds and preventing spread in and around the most significant natural regional assets, remnants of native bushland, wetlands, habitat corridors, waterways. The first principal of any good invasive species plan involves not using or planting invasive species at the outset.  As weeds know no boundaries and spread by water, wind, animals and humans, this principle needs to be followed by everyone.  If we fail to win this important battle against weed invasion, we will lose biodiversity and control over our land and water resources.