Managing declared weeds on roadsides
Managing declared weeds on roadsides
Roadsides are a unique part of our landscape providing important safe passage for travel and often hold some of the last local remnant vegetation in an area. They can also be a pathway for the movement of weeds which can be a significant threat to native vegetation, primary production and social amenity.
What is a roadside?
In this context, a roadside is the area between the driving surface and shoulder of the road, and the boundary of the adjoining property. See the diagram below.
Who is responsible for managing declared weeds on roadsides?
The Hills and Fleurieu Landscape Board are responsible for the control of declared weeds on all parts of the roadside in the region. The Landscape Board is also able to recover costs for control from adjoining landholders.
On State and National roads, the Department of Infrastructure and Transport (DIT) are responsible for the management and maintenance of all other vegetation from the centre of the road to the white markers on the road shoulder. For Controlled Access Roads like the South-Eastern Freeway, Southern Expressway and parts of Main South Road, DIT have care and control of the whole roadside.
Local Councils are responsible for all other vegetation on all local roads and for the vegetation from the white marker to the adjoining land on National and State roads.
How are declared weeds on roadsides managed by the Hills and Fleurieu Landscape Board?
Hills and Fleurieu Landscape Board are strategic in how it manages roadside weeds as there are over 10,000 kilometres of roadside and more than 150 declared weed species, many of which are found in the Hills and Fleurieu region. We invest levy funding in the management of priority declared weeds across the region, by targeting new and emerging weeds and work to contain small outlier populations of specific weeds as a priority. This prioritisation is also applied to roadside weed management.
What can you do to manage weeds on roadsides?
Some weeds are declared for notification. The majority of these are alert weeds and more information can be found in the South Australian alert weeds guide on PIRSA’s website. If you find one of these weeds on a roadside or in any part of the region please let us know immediately.
Landholders are also able to manage the weeds on the roadside either through their own efforts or by using a contractor. To do this you will need to contact your local council to seek approval for working on the roadside through an s221 permit to remove vegetation. Landscapes Hills and Fleurieu can provide advice on the management of weeds which may be a useful starting point.
Who is responsible for managing other vegetation on roadsides?
The management of native vegetation on roadsides is the responsibility of councils and is managed in accordance with the Native Vegetation Act 1991. Individual councils may also have a council endorsed Roadside Vegetation Management Plan. Activities such as revegetation and amenity planting, vegetation removal, fire wood collection and the notification of dumping on roadsides must be referred to your local council.
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