Weed Eradication
There are many useful definitions of a weed, including plants that are non-native to a particular area, troublesome to agriculture, invasive of natural ecosystems, or of no known use. On the Bouddi peninsula we define a weed as any plant that is not native or indigenous to the area. For convenience this can be defined as not being present on the peninsula before European settlement.
The Trust is particularly concerned with Environmental weeds and Noxious weeds. Environmental weeds are those that are able to invade local ecosystems and adversely affect the survival of indigenous flora and fauna. Noxious weeds are those that have been designated by a governmental (national, state or local) body because they cause serious economic loss to agriculture or has a detrimental effect on humans, animals or the environment.
Obviously a weed can be both an environmental and a noxious weed. It can, like the acacia saligna, be an Australian native but still a weed in the context of the Bouddi peninsula.
The Trust is particularly concerned with Environmental weeds and Noxious weeds. Environmental weeds are those that are able to invade local ecosystems and adversely affect the survival of indigenous flora and fauna. Noxious weeds are those that have been designated by a governmental (national, state or local) body because they cause serious economic loss to agriculture or has a detrimental effect on humans, animals or the environment.
Obviously a weed can be both an environmental and a noxious weed. It can, like the acacia saligna, be an Australian native but still a weed in the context of the Bouddi peninsula.
Each heading below is a link to a rogues gallery of weeds of that type that are common on the peninsula. Each wed listed contains a link to a page dedicated to the description of the weed and the best methods for its eradication.
Grasses and ground covers
This loose category includes herbacious weeds, ferns, and succulents. These are the smaller weeds, often escapees from gardens. They are easy to pull out by hand but, because they are prolific they are the most difficult to completely eradicate from a site.
Vines and scramblers
Weak stemmed plants that tend to grow over other plants, using them for support. They can be very invasive, sometimes forming suffocating mats that kill underlying vegetation. Others are more problematic because they are very prolific, spreading easily.
Woody weeds
Trees or shrubs with a woody stem and a more extensive root systems than other weeds. Seedlings can usually be pulled out by hand but more mature specimens usually require some form of poisoning for effective elimination.
This loose category includes herbacious weeds, ferns, and succulents. These are the smaller weeds, often escapees from gardens. They are easy to pull out by hand but, because they are prolific they are the most difficult to completely eradicate from a site.
Vines and scramblers
Weak stemmed plants that tend to grow over other plants, using them for support. They can be very invasive, sometimes forming suffocating mats that kill underlying vegetation. Others are more problematic because they are very prolific, spreading easily.
Woody weeds
Trees or shrubs with a woody stem and a more extensive root systems than other weeds. Seedlings can usually be pulled out by hand but more mature specimens usually require some form of poisoning for effective elimination.