Second round of aerial boxthorn control

Natural Resources Northern & Yorke Sustainable Landscapes Ranger Jasmine Swales said it will take 18 to 24 months for the total impact of the 2015 trial to be seen, but photopoint monitoring stations installed at selected properties were showing promising results.

"Similar programs run on the Eyre Peninsula have shown very high success rates, up to 100% in some cases, so we are confident we will achieve the desired outcome," Ms Swales said.

"Recognising that weeds know no boundaries, we will once again be working with landholders to tackle the boxthorn problem on a landscape scale across public, private, crown and council land.

"Aerial boxthorn control is efficient and cost-effective for treating large numbers of individual plants over vast areas, in contrast to traditional, more labour-intensive methods such as cut and swab or foliar spray."

The priority target areas for 2016 include remnant coastal scrub with medium-to-high boxthorn densities from Dhilba Guuranda-Innes National Parkto Point Souttar and along the Waraultee coastline up to Point Pearce Peninsula.

The program aims to close some of the gaps in the existing boxthorn infestation, reduce the occurrence of reinfestation to neighbouring properties, and enable landholders to get on top of the problem in their patch.

All landholders participating in the program will be working under a land management agreement to ensure that the follow-up work enhances the benefits of the initial control effort on their property.

Under the Natural Resources Management Act 2004, landholders have a legal responsibility to control African boxthorn, a declared plant and a Weed of National Significance, on their land.

NRNY landscape rangers work with landholders to manage priority weeds across Yorke Peninsula.

Funding for the boxthorn control is provided by the Australian Government.

For more information, contact Natural Resources Centre Clare on 8841 3444.