REDUCING USE OF PESTICIDES

The use of pesticides is difficult to completely eliminate, however, Council is committed to reducing the volume of pesticide use for weed control activities by five per cent each year.

The use of alternative control methods is being increased, such as, manual removal, cut stump, stem/inject, frill treatment and splatter gun control methods wherever possible.

Working with staff from the Department of Primary Industries biological control facility at Trenayr, biological control agents for weeds are being released, such as the Salvina Weevil (cyrtobagous salviniae) for the free-floating aquatic fern Salvinia Molesta, or the Jewell Beetle (hylaeogena jureceki) for the invasive vine Cat’s Claw Creeper (dolichandra unguiscati), as well as other agents that become available.

New alternatives, including bioherbicides, are being explored with the aim to expand the scope of the integrated weed control program.

Local government has a legal responsibility for managing weeds across their lands under the NSW Biosecurity Act 2015.

PICTURED: Above; biological control agent, the Salvina Weevil, being released to control the free-floating aquatic fern Salvinia Molesta

If you see any of these plants in the Clarence Valley, please call your local council weeds officer through our Customer Service Centre on 02 6643 0200, or the NSW DPI Biosecurity Helpline on 1800 680 244.

An aggressively invasive, prickly perennial shrub 1-2 metres high. Flowers are white. Yellow mature fruit, 2-3cm in diameter. Cattle eat the fruit and spread viable seeds in manure.

A shrub or small tree up to 4m tall. White star-shaped flowers are borne in large branched clusters. Fruit turn yellow as they mature.

Perennial shrub up to 3m tall. Younger stems are green or purplish. White star-shaped flowers in clusters of 15-100. Round berries turn from green to yellow as they mature.

PICTURED: Weekly cattle sales take place at the Grafton Regional Saleyards. The upgrades include extensive replacement of yard fencing. The new pneumatic drafting system improves operator safety and animal welfare. The new scanning and weighbridge system improves efficiency on sale days.