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Tuesday 19 February 2019
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Finding the root cause of threat to wine Stephen Taylor steve@mpnews.com.au THE invasive pest phylloxera hasn’t got a foothold in the Mornington Peninsula’s estimated 1000 hectares of grape vines – yet. And that’s why the Mornington Peninsula Vignerons’ Association and Agriculture Victoria have launched a campaign to prevent it gaining a foothold. Mornington Peninsula Shire is also in the fight seeking “insider knowledge” of the presence of the pest in every nook and cranny. The phylloxera insect can devastate a commercial vineyard and is easily transmitted between vines. This occurs when infected soil or plant material is carried from infected areas, possibly on shoes or clothing. Peninsula residents are being asked to become involved by downloading the Snap Send Solve app onto their phones and photographing often-innocent-looking ornamental vines, also known as amenity vines, in their backyard or in public places. This could help nip the pest in the bud (so to speak). They should then select their location, select the “incident” as “amenity vine” and notify Agriculture Victoria whose officers can make an inspection. Many residents already use the app to notify the shire about littering and other incidents. Vignerons association officer Tyson Lewis said while phylloxera had not been found on the peninsula it was known to be in the Yarra Valley, “only an hour and a half’s drive away”. “This is ground zero,” he said. “We are going to do a whole-of-peninsula survey to see if we can find any [phylloxera]. “If none are found, Agriculture Victoria will declare us a phylloxera-free zone and make it tougher for vines to be brought in from other areas. This is all part of improving our biosecurity.” Vines suspected of hosting the insect can easily be checked by digging to half-spade depth and inspecting the root zone where infestation will be visible.
On the hunt: Vigneron Tyson Lewis said residents’ help could tip the balance against the pest. Picture: Yanni
Expert warns on climate change MORNINGTON Peninsula Shire has been told it must immediately adopt strategies to tackle climate change. Minter Ellison special counsel Sarah Barker has told shire councillors and senior officers that climate change action and mitigation is a serious financial consideration for industries and communities across the globe. Ms Barker said strategies must immediately be integrated into all council activities to address climate change risks. She spoke on the approaches being
taken by organisations worldwide, including the World Economic Forum, global banks, ratings agencies and insurance agencies to cope with its impacts. The mayor Cr David Gill said the council wanted to learn more about global approaches to climate change. “It was great to hear from an industry expert and reinforce the knowledge that our efforts to adapt council operations and support our community are in line with global trends,” he said.
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“Sarah presented a different lens on the potential risks to our community and highlighted the peninsula’s vulnerability to sea level rise in low lying areas. “The productivity of our agricultural sector is also vulnerable to the impacts of climate change through longer droughts, stronger storms and flash flooding. “Council is working to ensure the community is well equipped with the knowledge and tools to prepare for
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these risks and reduce liability.” Shire programs aim to identify climate change risks to infrastructure, environment, service delivery, finance and community, and to have actions and controls in place to minimise these risks, Cr Gill said. Cr Simon Brooks said minimising climate change risk and “working with communities to adapt and mitigate climate change is one of our highest priorities”. “We have an obligation to limit [its]
impact and also to lessen [its] liability to our ratepayers long after this council term is over,” he said. The shire’s climate change, energy and water manager Melissa Burrage said the council had been proactive in encouraging community action. “We’re determined to shape a council and community prepared to respond to the impacts of climate change across all areas of operations, especially planning, infrastructure, finance and the environment,” she said.
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