NWAC Fireweed Review 2008

1. NWAC Fireweed Review 2008 Presentation by Reg Kidd – Chair NWAC

2. Fireweed Review NWAC Fireweed Review – Consultation The Noxious Weeds Advisory Committee (NWAC) review of fireweed management has consulted widely including NSW Farmers, Local Government and Catchment Management Authorities

3. Fireweed Review NWAC Fireweed Review – Consultation The Noxious Weeds Advisory Committee addressed a range of conferences: • 2007 Local Government Association Conference – Coffs Harbour, • 2007 NSW Farmers Annual Conference – Sydney, • Local Government / Catchment Management Authorities Forum – Sydney, • Catchment Management Authorities Chairs Meeting.

4. Fireweed Review NWAC Fireweed Review – Consultation Meetings were held with a range of groups including farmers, local government, weeds officers, veterinarians, agronomists, meat buyers and milk producers.

5. Fireweed Review NWAC Fireweed Review – Consultation Meetings were held at Kangaroo Valley, Moruya, Nowra, Bega, Nimmitabel, Cooma, Armidale, Dorrigo, Bellingen, Taree, Kempsey, Wingham, Gloucester and Paterson

6. Fireweed Review NWAC Fireweed Review – Consultation The review team specifically met with: • Dorrigo Fireweed Action Committee, • Gloucester Rural Lands Protection Board, • Technical Specialist staff in NSW DPI, • Kangaroo Valley Fireweed Action Committee, • Milton - Ulladulla Fireweed Committee, • Eurobodalla Fireweed Advisory Committee, • Bega Valley Fireweed Association, • Meat and Livestock Australia and • Reviewed numerous written submissions

7. Fireweed Review Introduction Fireweed, Senecio madagascariensis, is a noxious weed under the Noxious Weeds Act 1993. It is a Class 4 weed in the areas of the north coast and south-east of NSW.

8. Fireweed Review (Introduction cont) The continuing spread and impact of fireweed is causing major community concern. Meat and Livestock Australia have commissioned a report on the management of fireweed (Johnson, 2007) and Bega Valley Fireweed Association has commissioned a report on the socio-economic impacts of fireweed (Anon., 2007).

9. Fireweed Review (Introduction cont). To ensure the actions to address fireweed are effective and efficient, the Minister for Primary Industries has requested the advice of the Noxious Weeds Advisory Committee

10. Fireweed Review Terms of reference for the review are: • The objectives for coordinated fireweed management in NSW. • The extent to which local authorities are implementing the current noxious weed programs for fireweed, as defined under the current Class 4 weed under the Noxious Weeds Act 1993 and local authority plans and policies.

11. Fireweed Review • The effectiveness of the existing objectives given current resources and the ability of landholders to comply with the requirements. • Whether the existing control class 4 classification is appropriate under the Noxious Weeds Act 1993 and if not, make recommendations to support any proposed change.

12. Fireweed Review • Priorities for future action, including the effectiveness of directing current resources to alternative strategies including: • biological control research; • advisory services; • enforced control policies; and • on ground weed control on roads, council, government and private lands.

13. Fireweed Review Distribution

14. Fireweed Review Current declaration Fireweed is currently declared a Class 4 noxious weed in: Coffs Harbour City Council } Bellingen Shire Council } Mid North Coast Nambucca Shire Council } Shoalhaven City Council } Eurobodalla Shire Council } South Coast Bega Valley Shire Council }

15. Fireweed Review Current declaration Upper Lachlan Shire Council } Wingecarribee Shire Council } Goulburn Mulwaree Shire Council } Southern Slopes County Council } Southern Tablelands Palerang Shire Council } Cooma Monaro Shire Council } Snowy River Shire Council } Bombala Shire Council. }

16. Fireweed Review Mid North Coast - Fireweed is declared only in three local control authorities north of Sydney. The general approach of these plans is that that they require all landholders to take steps to limit the spread of fireweed and to reduce its incidence. In practice it appears that, their Class 4 management plans are not enforced in those parts of the Local Control Authorities where fireweed is well established.

17. Fireweed Review South Coast - History Fireweed is declared in Shoalhaven City Council, Eurobodalla Shire and Bega Valley Shire Council. Fireweed occurs commonly throughout these Local Control Authorities but there are localised areas of heavy infestation. However, fireweed is not ubiquitous along the south coast at this stage. Eurobodalla Shire, in particular, has considerable areas where fireweed has not yet established.

18. Fireweed Review South Coast – Areas of core infestation All three south coast Local Control Authorities where fireweed is declared have adopted a zonal approach for their Class 4 management plans. Shoalhaven City and Eurobodalla Shire require landholders to control all fireweed plants in that zone to the extent that the plants are prevented from setting seed.

19. Fireweed Review South Coast – Areas of core infestation (cont) Their Class 4 plans provide landholders with a range of options for achieving this. Bega Valley Shire requires landholders to control fireweed within a 50 metre strip around their property boundary, where there is a demonstrated public benefit from such work.

20. Fireweed Review Southern Tablelands Fireweed is declared in all Local Control Authorities on the southern tablelands, from Upper Lachlan Shire to the Victorian border. However, fireweed is not common in any of these southern tablelands Local Control Authorities with the exception of the north eastern third of Wingecarribee Shire.

21. Fireweed Review Harmful Effects of Fireweed – Animal health Fireweed contains pyrrolizidine alkaloid toxins that cause cumulative liver damage in cattle and horses that consume it (Seawright, 1982). Poisoning is more usually chronic than acute and will be fatal where long term consumption of fireweed has caused a critical level of liver damage (Hooper, 1978). However, cattle and horses find fireweed unpalatable and avoid eating fireweed plants.

22. Fireweed Review Harmful Effects of Fireweed – Animal health Sheep and goats are much less susceptible to chronic poisoning than pigs, horses and cattle, due to a greater ability of their rumen microflora to detoxify the alkaloids Sheep are susceptible, however, if large quantities of the toxin are consumed in a short period of time (Seawright, 1982).

23. Fireweed Review Harmful Effects of Fireweed – Human health The NSW Food Authority is of the opinion that the amounts of pyrrolizidine alkaloids present in milk are too low to present a risk to public health (K. Collins, pers. comm.).

24. Fireweed Review Harmful Effects of Fireweed – Human health Because fireweed is spread locally by wind, perceptions of inadequate control pits neighbour against neighbour and is a source of social conflict and personal stress in affected landholders (Anon., 2007). The perceived intractability of fireweed is also a source of personal stress.

25. Fireweed Review Harmful Effects of Fireweed – Economy Fireweed competes strongly with existing pasture plants for light, moisture and nutrients. This competition may lead to further pasture decline and a reduction in overall grazing area. However, the degree of reduction of pasture productivity due to fireweed infestation has not been quantified.

26. Fireweed Review Control of Fireweed – Pasture management The most effective basis for a fireweed control program is the maintenance of vigorous, competitive pasture where possible. However, maintaining pasture vigour and density during extended dry periods (droughts) is problematic. Appropriate stocking rate, grazing strategies, fertilizer management and pasture species selection will contribute to maintaining pasture vigour.

27. Fireweed Review Control of Fireweed – Pasture management Integrated management strategies for fireweed are well developed (Allan et al., 2005) but current pasture species recommendations may be more effective in the warm temperate and sub-tropical areas of coastal NSW, but not the south east or tableland regions.

28. Fireweed Review Control of Fireweed – Herbicides Herbicides containing bromoxynil provide very effective control of seedlings and young fireweed plants (A. Cook, pers. comm.). However, application of bromoxynil above 20°C will damage the legume component of pastures.

29. Fireweed Review Control of Fireweed – Herbicides Anderson and Panetta (1995) found that 2,4-D amine and 2,4-D sodium herbicides provided effective control of fireweed while limiting damage to the legume component of pastures. However, the safety of 2,4-D to legumes is disputed (A. Storrie, pers. comm.) As well as bromoxynil, herbicides containing mixtures of bromoxynil plus diflufenican, MCPA plus diflufenican, and 2,4-D acid, 2,4-D sodium and fluroxypur are registered for the control of fireweed.

30. Fireweed Review Control of Fireweed – Biological control A large number of insect species and a number of rusts have been observed to have limited affect on fireweed in the field in Australia. Several studies have been carried out to identify biological control agents but so far, release of agents has either been not feasible or the agent was not effective (Morin, 2003).

31. Fireweed Review Current resources