Past Projects
2013-2015
Coordinated weed management in Pilbara landscapes 2013-15
Duration: July 2013 – June 2015
Funding: $317,000
Protecting and conserving habitat in the Chichester (PL01) and Roebourne (PL04) IBRA subregions of the Pilbara will be undertaken using co-investment by mineral resource companies in order to manage environmental threats to EPBC Act listed threatened species. Preventing the spread of invasive species in intact ecosystems will be achieved through targeted on-ground control, coordination of mapping and data management across tenure and collaborative invasive species management. This project will develop co-ordinated landscape weed management programs across the Pilbara, working with pastoral, industry, traditional and government land managers to protect and improve the ecosystem resilience of the rangelands.
KEY OUTCOMES:
- Ecosystem condition, function, connectivity and resilience of habitats of the Northern Quoll and the Greater Bilby (EPBC Act listed species) is enhanced, and the biodiversity of the greater Pilbara is protected
- Pilbara land managers have increased capacity and tools to efficiently contain, eradicate or minimise the spread of priority existing and emerging weed species
- Strategic and co-ordinated weed management is undertaken across 40,000 ha of the Pilbara
- The Pilbara Mesquite Management Strategy is updated, with relevant actions identified in Pilbara weed management plans are implemented across the Pilbara pastoral region.
- Establish and maintain an interactive weed management database
2014
Cactus management in the Pilbara 2014
Duration: January – December 2014
Funding: $54,000
The project will undertake a full residential survey of all Pilbara townships, to detect, record and remove all identified cactus infestations in gardens and those that have esacped. An awareness campaign in each town, including publications with local newspapers, will increase the regional knowledge of invasive cactus species. Additionally, a surveillance and control program of cactus that inhabits pastoral stations will commence, with supported funding provided to land managers to kick-start programs.
KEY OUTCOMES:
- Street survey of 15 Pilbara townships, removal of invasive cactus detected
- Detection and control of cactus on pastoral stations
- Pilbara residents are made aware of how to identify, and safely dispose of invasive cactus species from gardens
2014
Tackling invasive WoNS in the Ashburton Catchment
Duration: March 2014 – March 2015
Funding: $50,000
This project will implement the primary control programs against newly discovered infestations of bellyache bush and coral cactus within the Ashburton catchment. It will also facilitate the continuance of active mesquite and parkinsonia control programs within the Ashburton catchment, with on-ground training provided in safe and effective herbicide control techniques, the capture of spatial data and the recording of program progress, successes and failures. Land managers will be able to access funds and equipment to undertake targeted control of these weeds in priority hotspots, including at public access points, local tourist camping areas, important Indigenous and European heritage sites and for small isolated infestations.
KEY OUTCOMES:
- 12,000 hectares of land is treated for infestations of Weeds of National Significance
- Management plan for bellyache bush management around Pannawonica is implemented
- Information is provided throughout the Ashburton community to assist in identifying, reporting and controlling different Weeds of National Significance
2014
Tackling weeds in the Yannarie River
Duration: March 2014 – March 2015
Funding: $48,250
Mesquite and parkinsonia, two declared Weeds of National Significance, populate along the Yannarie River system. Mesquite is localized with single adults plants populating sparsely along the water course, and parkinsonia is a little more widespread with small dense patches connected by individual trees. This project will support local pastoralists and experienced contractors to undertake an extensive weed control program across 10,000 hectares of the river system. Land managers will be equipped with the latest practical skills training and equipment to battle these weeds, and the PMMC will install a parkinsonia looper biological control release site along the river.
KEY OUTCOMES:
- Provide assistance to pastoral land managers to control identified infestations of parkinsonia and mesquite from the Yannarie River
- Collect data from surveys and control programs, providing advice to land managers on recommended future control of weeds
- Establish a potential release site for parkinsonia biological control agents in areas no under active weed control programs.
2011 – 2013
Advancing effective management of WoNS in the Pilbara
A partnership with the Rangelands NRM Coordinating Group
Duration: November 2011 – June 2013
Funding: $500,000
This project compliments past investment in the on-ground management and control of mesquite and parkinsonia, and aims towards formalising relationships and strategic investment plans for the long-term management of these WoNS. This project includes the
Key Outcomes:
- Maintain regional coordination of mesquite and parkinsonia management
- Develop formal partnerships to support the PMMC and its core activities
- Develop partnerships between neighbouring land managers (pastoral, resource and government) to strengthen control program success
- Update weed management plans for pastoral stations
- Undertake the on-ground surveillance and control of mesquite and parkinsonia across 80,000 ha of the Pilbara
- Publish locally relevant best-practice knowledge on WoNS management techniques
2010 – 2012
Advancing effective management of invasive weeds in the Pilbara
A partnership with the State Natural Resource Management Program, Western Australia
Duration: July 2010 – December 2012
Funding: $210,750
This project focuses on providing the tools and training to local land managers battling the thorny menaces of mesquite and parkinsonia, and to gain experience in successful and strategic weed management by putting these new skills into practice.
Additional demonstration sites will be installed to determine the long-term effectiveness of:
- High volume foliar spraying of calotropis (Calotropis procera) with 2,4-D ester
- Mechanical control of hybrid mesquite using specially designed front mounted blade plough
Key outcomes:
- Training provided to 45 project participants in weed identification, practical skills in treating weeds and how to use GPS systems and record weed control programs.
- Practical skill employment opportunities for 45 project participants where 55,000 ha of the Pilbara was controlled of identified weeds
- 3 ha demonstration site plus 13 photographic monitoring sites established on DeGrey Station to measure success of high volume foliar spraying of calotropis
- 1,000 ha demonstration site plus 17 photographic monitoring sites established on Mardie Station trialling the use of a front mounted blade plough on hybrid mesquite
2011 – 2012
Advancing the strategic management of invasive weeds in the Pilbara
A collaborative project with the Royalties for Regions Pilbara Regional Grants Scheme and the Pilbara Development Commission
Duration: November 2011 – November 2012
Funding: $127,800
The focus of this project is to promote best practice management and increase the capacity of land managers to contain and control mesquite and parkinsonia infestations, in an effort to reduce the abundance and density of these invasive weeds. Specifically, the project will seek to train and provide temporary opportunities for station staff to put skills into practice. Additionally, mechanical treatment of tree-form mesquite (Prosopis pallida) and parkinsonia will be trialled in the Ashburton catchment.
Key outcomes:
- 200 man days of control completed on mesquite and parkinsonia within the Pilbara region
- 20 photographic monitoring sites established in targeted infestations where chemical or mechanical treatment undertaken
- Regional strategy for the management of parkinsonia developed
- 20 symptomatic parkinsonia plants sampled for presence of dieback, 20 monitoring sites installed
2009 – 2011
Strategic WoNS management in Pilbara priority wetlands and floodplains
A strategic planning project supported by the Rangelands NRM Coordinating Group under the Caring for our Country program
Duration: December 2009 – December 2011
Funding: $442,327
This projects main focus is to establish the framework for a regionally coordinated mesquite and parkinsonia management program. It will use the current partnerships developed with the mesquite program and build on these to include parkinsonia management throughout the region. It will develop and complete Weed Action Plans for pastoral stations involved in the project, to ensure all parties agree on the priority actions to be undertaken and resources are allocated accordingly. Finally, it will ensure that all known and historical locations of mesquite and parkinsonia are aerially surveyed and mapped across the Pilbara.
Key Outcomes:
- Increased participation in weed management in the Pilbara with the inclusion of 9 additional land managers battling infestations of parkinsonia
- Weed Action Plans completed for 12 pastoral station lessees
- Aerial survey of the Pilbara across 21 pastoral station leases and 5,104 km, with the presence of mesquite and parkinsonia confirmed on 7 and 16 pastoral stations respectively, plus a number of resource tenements
- Early discovery of parkinsonia dieback on the Ashburton River
- Formalisation of data collection methods for mesquite and parkinsonia chemical control programs, including spatial data collection and recording
- On-ground control of identified weeds on 12 pastoral station leases and two industry tenements, totalling over 60,000 ha of weeds treated
2009
Best practice mesquite management in the Rangelands of Western Australia
A project funded by the federal governments Caring for our Country program
Duration: February 2009 – April 2010
Funding: $302,000
A state-wide approach to mesquite management was undertaken to increase the knowledge of Kimberley and Gascoyne infestations of mesquite, and enhance the on-ground control being undertaken across the entire Rangelands region. An aerial survey for mesquite was conducted in the Kimberley region, using historical data to guide areas to be searched. The survey covered 46,000 ha, and detected mesquite across 17,000 on three pastoral stations. This information was used to guide additional treatment of these three infestations in late 2009.
A smaller component of the project was to use data from previous research projects to model the most at-risk habitats for mesquite invasion in the Pilbara. This work was undertaken by CSIRO and resulted in highlighting all major river and creek systems and associated floodplains extremely susceptible to supporting large infestations of mesquite
2007-2009
Management of invasive species – mesquite
An inaugural project jointly conducted with the Rangelands NRM Coordinating Group
Duration: August 2007 – June 2009
Funding: $470,358
Part 1: To formalise and publish the results of best practice management for mesquite in the Pilbara. This included the final collation of data in 2007, with analysis performed by the PMMC and CSIRO. Results indicated that:
- Fire was not recommended as a control tool for hybrid mesquite, as it was too difficult to get a fuel load to sustain a hot consistent fire (even with 5 years of cattle exclusion)
- The Evippe biological control was impacting on mesquite, reducing annual flower production by over 49% and mature pod production by 9% within 5 years of introduction (1999-2005)
- Within populations of mesquite, despite high and sustained levels of Evippe predation, individual mesquite plants will produce large quantities of viable seeds whilst the majority of plants fail to produce any reproductive components
- The seed bank of mesquite within the hybrid population at Mardie Station was significantly varied, with very few seeds found in the soil profile directly within infestations but significantly more seeds found in the soil profile around stock watering points and animal tracks.
Part 2: To progress the effective management of mesquite in the Kimberley, Pilbara and Gascoyne regions. This included the development of a regional Strategic Mesquite Management Plan outlining the future direction of mesquite management in the Pilbara and completing an aerial survey and mapping program of mesquite within the Gascoyne region.
2002-2007
Developing and implementing best-practice management for fire tolerant mesquite in Western Australia
A research project funded by the Natural Heritage Trust I and II
