UPDATE: The Weed Hygiene Workshops, due to run on 27 and 28 March, have been postponed due to preventative measures of Coronavirus.
Information on the reschedule date of the workshops will be made available in the near future.
EARLIER: A series of free workshops will be hosted in the Bundaberg Region to help landowners combat invasive weed species.
Bundaberg Regional Council's land protection officer Eric Dyke said it was important to identify and control invasive plants due to the impact they have on the environment.
“Weeds can cause serious environmental, economic, and social impacts to the Wide Bay Burnett region’s agricultural sector,” he said.
“Preventing the introduction of weeds is one cost-effective way you can protect your property and the region from new weed infestations.”
Eric said the workshops, to be held in Childers and Avondale, would focus on increasing awareness of the risk of the spread of invasive matter through livestock, fodder such as hay/grain and vehicles.
“In addition, it will help to outline simple ways landholders can reduce those threats which have been identified as a major cause of pest plant spread,” he said.
Weed workshops by Belinda Callanan
Belinda Callanan, company director of TH9 Outdoor Services, will host the weed hygiene workshops.
Belinda’s company provides practical bio security, pest and land management services that help organisations manage their environmental and operational risks and improve land management practices.
“The workshops in the Bundaberg Region will provide landowners with practical information to assist in managing weeds and weed spread,” she said.
“Weeds have exceptional growth rates, produce large quantities of seed comparative to native species, smother desirable species.
“Left unchecked, weeds damage the environment and can create high fuel loads of monoculture weeds, deoxygenate waterbodies killing fish species and cause loss of production on farms.”
Belinda said the most invasive types of weeds in the Bundaberg area were Weedy Sporobolus Grasses (Giant Rats Tail Grass), Cats Claw Creeper, Lantana, Salvinia, Rubbervine and Parthenium.
Childers workshop
Date: Friday, 27 March
Time: 12.30pm – 4.30pm
Venue: Childers Cultural Centre, 69 Churchill St
Cost: Free, afternoon tea included
Avondale workshop
Date: Saturday, 28 March
Time: 8.30am – 12.30pm
Venue: Tegege Hall, 17 Bushs Road
Cost: Free, morning tea included
RSVP by email to parksadministration@bundaberg.qld.gov.au.
For more information phone Council's Land Protection team on 1300 883 699.
This workshop is being delivered as a partnership between Bundaberg Regional Council and the Wide Bay Burnett Regional Organisation of Councils and is funded by the Queensland Government as part of the Better Partnerships Program.
Where can I go to get an apparent weed identified?