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lwa.gov.au/news_and_events/
26 March 2009
Costly weeds star in forum road-show
Weeds are estimated to cost Australian agricultural industries around $4 billion per annum. This is a
price primary industries cannot afford as they strive to increase agricultural productivity and help bring
the nation through the global recession.
27 projects contracted through the recently completed Defeating the Weed Menace Research &
Development (R&D) program aimed to identify Australia’s most threatening weeds and implement
measures for their control. The outcomes of these projects will not only help to improve weed
management on-ground, but will provide guidance for future national weeds research and policy
direction.
The Defeating the Weed Menace Forum held yesterday at the Australian National University in
Canberra, opened by the Hon John Kerin, chair of the interim advisory Board of the Australian Weeds
Research Centre, brought together natural resource and environmental management policy and
program staff, conservationists, agriculturalists and scientists to listen to these latest findings and share
their knowledge and concerns.
Land & Water Australia, with support from the Australian Weeds Research Centre, will be conducting
similar forums across the country in upcoming months, showcasing research outcomes from the
Defeating the Weed Menace R&D program in partnership with state-based Weed Societies, in a kind of
travelling weeds road-show.
The series of knowledge-sharing forums are the culmination of the three year Defeating the Weed
Menace R&D program, which was funded by the Australian Government, and managed by Land &
Water Australia on behalf of the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry and the Department
of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts.
Several project leaders were invited to present their key findings at yesterday’s forum. Among the
research topics mentioned were managing Weeds of National Significance, managing weeds on
floodplains – including future scenarios in relation to environmental flows in the Murray, and using flying
robots to detect and eradicate aquatic weeds.
Much of the research presented at the forum is outlined in the latest Thinking Bush magazine, released
this week and available from Land & Water Australia: enquiries@lwa.gov.au.
Contact:
Nolani McColl
Land & Water Australia
(02) 6263 6000
lwa.gov.au/weeds
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