Have your say on the South Australian Declared Plant Review

Kangaroo Islanders are encouraged to have a say on a review of weeds declared under the Natural Resources Management Act 2004 (NRM Act 2004).

Declared weeds pose a risk to primary industries, the natural environment and public health and safety.

Biosecurity SA, with assistance from the Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources (DEWNR) and South Australian regional NRM boards, are reviewing weeds declared under the Natural Resources Management Act 2004 (NRM Act 2004).

Natural Resources Kangaroo Island (NRKI) Pest Management Team Leader, Rory Wiadrowski, said the declared plant review will detail five new proposed weeds, one of the plants to be considered is the Coastal tea tree (Leptospermum laevigatum), found here on Kangaroo Island.

Coastal tea tree infestations have been observed to have a competitive impact on native shrubs, reducing the area of the native vegetation habitat.

“Coastal tea tree will still be available in nurseries, however movement and control on Kangaroo Island will aim to prevent infestations establishing from any new plantings,” Mr Wiadrowski said.

The review will also look at current policies for declared weeds, including feral olives found on Kangaroo Island.

“Although there is a significant infestation on the Dudley Peninsula and isolated patches scattered elsewhere across the island, Kangaroo Island is fortunate to not have a widespread olive issue.

“NRKI staff, community members and landholders will continue to work at containing these infestations, and we will be asking landholders to help with this.

“We need landholders to monitor for the presence of feral olive infestations and destroy them as they are detected, and we will also work with the local nurseries to prevent the sale of plants and plant material.”

The NRM Act 2004 outlines the restrictions applied to the movement and sale of declared weeds, including contaminated items. Landholders can be required to notify authorities when an infestation is detected and can also be legally obliged to destroy or control infestations of declared weeds.

Kangaroo Islanders are invited to review the draft state plant polices at http://yoursay.sa.gov.au/decisions/yoursay-engagements-declared-plant-review/about. The consultation period ends on the 3 June 2016.

For further information, visit the Natural Resources Kangaroo Island website http://www.landscape.sa.gov.au/ki/plants-and-animals/pest-plants-and-animals/pest-plants , Ph: 08 8553 4444, or visit the natural resources centre at 37 Dauncey Street, Kingscote.