Table 4: Impacts of exotic species and key management actions Impacts of exotic species Key management actions Direct loss of native species and decline in Identify the key weed and pest animals at biodiversity. a given site. Weeds competing with native plants for Eradicate or manage and monitor weeds, space, water and nutrients. If left pest animals and other problem species, unmanaged, weeds will degrade and including invasive native shrubs, following potentially dominate a site. available best practice or management plans. Weeds can perpetuate a change in the nutrient cycle, in favour of exotic species Ensure use of chemicals or other over native species. mechanisms to control weeds and pest animals do not have any significant Introduced predators, such as foxes and adverse impact on native species (for feral cats, competing with native predators example, avoid broad-cast herbicide use and killing native animals. such as aerial spraying). Introduced herbivores, such as rabbits, Minimise impacts to threatened species at grazing, browsing and killing native plants. known sites. They can also disturb soil structure through extensive diggings or trampling. Identify new and emerging weed and pest animal problems in the region. Act quickly to eradicate them before the problem becomes too impractical and expensive to fix. Prevent or minimise the addition of nutrients, such as fertilisers. Nutrient enrichment promotes weed invasion. In South Australia, the most serious woody weed is the European olive (Olea blown by wind, seeds produced in fleshy europaea), which has escaped from fruits that are eaten by animals and cultivation. Given the increase in dispersed in droppings, or seed that growing throughout eastern Australia, olives a on vehicles or is introduced to “hitches lift” may become a more serious threat in other a property in purchased fodder or seed. areas in future. One important control principle is to reduce the amount of seed that weeds produce, by Land managers should also be aware of, spraying, burning or even grazing grassy and comply with, any local or state laws weeds before seed is set. Another vital that require them to manage noxious weeds control measure is to avoid spreading weed or pest animals on their property. seeds by regularly cleaning vehicles and farm machinery, especially before moving it Many weed species produce a lot of seed to a new area. Careful sourcing of clean that is easily dispersed, e.g. seeds that are seed and fodder
Table 4: Impacts of exotic species and key management actions Impacts of exotic species Key management actions Direct loss of native species and decline in biodiversity. Weeds competing with native plants for space, water and nutrients. If left unmanaged, weeds will degrade and potentially dominate a site. Weeds can perpetuate a change in the nutrient cycle, in favour of exotic species over native species. Introduced predators, such as foxes and feral cats, competing with native predators and killing native animals. Introduced herbivores, such as rabbits, grazing, browsing and killing native plants. They can also disturb soil structure through extensive diggings or trampling. Identify the key weed and pest animals at a given site. Eradicate or manage and monitor weeds, pest animals and other problem species, including invasive native shrubs, following available best practice or management plans. Ensure use of chemicals or other mechanisms to control weeds and pest animals do not have any significant adverse impact on native species (for example, avoid broad-cast herbicide use such as aerial spraying). Minimise impacts to threatened species at known sites. Identify new and emerging weed and pest animal problems in the region. Act quickly to eradicate them before the problem becomes too impractical and expensive to fix. Prevent or minimise the addition of nutrients, such as fertilisers. Nutrient enrichment promotes weed invasion. In South Australia, the most serious woody weed is the European olive (Olea europaea), which has escaped from cultivation. Given the increase in throughout eastern Australia, olives may become a more serious threat in other areas in future. Land managers should also be aware of, and comply with, any local or state laws that require them to manage noxious weeds or pest animals on their property. Many weed species produce a lot of seed that is easily dispersed, e.g. seeds that are blown by wind, seeds produced in fleshy fruits that are eaten by animals and dispersed in droppings, or seed that “hitches a lift” on vehicles or is introduced to a property in purchased fodder or seed. One important control principle is to reduce the amount of seed that weeds produce, by spraying, burning or even grazing grassy weeds before seed is set. Another vital control measure is to avoid spreading weed seeds by regularly cleaning vehicles and farm machinery, especially before moving it to a new area. Careful sourcing of clean seed and fodder growing
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