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Noxious weeds
What is a noxious weed?
There are different types of weeds. Generally speaking, any plant can be considered a weed if it is growing somewhere that it is not wanted.
An environmental weed is a “non-indigenous plant species, which adversely affects the survival or regeneration of indigenous species in natural or partly natural vegetation communities” (Department of Sustainability and Environment - Victoria, Australia).
A noxious weed is a plant which has been declared under the Noxious Weeds Act 1993 , by order of the Minister of Primary Industries, to pose a significant threat to primary production, the environment or human health within the State or a given region, and must be controlled. All owners and occupiers of property in New South Wales are obliged to comply with this Act.
Noxious weeds are divided into 5 different control classes based upon distribution and level of impact and must be controlled or removed according to the requirements of each control class.
Class 1 - State Prohibited Weeds "The plant must be eradicated from the land and the land must be kept free of the plant." to prevent the introduction and establishment of those plants in NSW.
Class 1 noxious weed list...
Class 2 - Regionally Prohibited Weeds "The plant must be eradicated from the land and the land must be kept free of the plant." to prevent the introduction and establishment of those plants in parts of NSW
Class 2 noxious weed list...
Class 3 - Regionally Controlled Weeds "The plant must be fully and continuously suppressed and destroyed." to reduce the area and the impact of those plants in parts of NSW.
Class 3 noxious weed list...
Class 4 - Locally Controlled Weeds "The growth and spread of the plant must be controlled according to the measures specified in a management plan published by the local control authority” to minimise the negative impact of those plants on the economy, community or environment of NSW.
Class 4 noxious weed list...
Class 5 - Restricted Plants "The requirements in the Noxious Weeds Act 1993 for a notifiable weed must be complied with." to prevent the introduction of those plants into NSW, the spread of those plants within NSW or from NSW to another jurisdiction.
Class 5 noxious weed list...
The sale and spread of all noxious weeds or noxious weed material, including seeds and cuttings, is prohibited. Class 1, 2 and 5 weeds are “Notifiable” and therefore any sightings must be reported to the Local Control Authority or Department of Primary Industries immediately.
Here is the current list of Declared Noxious Weeds in the Parramatta area and pictures of common noxious weeds www.sydneyweeds.org.au
Who is responsible for noxious weeds
On private property, it is the responsibility of the occupier/owner of the land to control or eradicate noxious weeds on that land. As the Local Control Authority, Parramatta City Council is responsible for ensuring that occupiers/owners fulfil their responsibilities on private land through issue of Weed Control Notices. It is an offence not to comply with a Weed Control Notice and failure to do so could result in fines and/or Council undertaking the required control and recovering the costs from the occupier/owner in Court.
The Local Control Authority (Council) is responsible for controlling noxious weeds on land under it’s care and control, while Public Authorities (state-owned entities such as the RTA and Sydney Water) are required to control noxious weeds on their land only to an extent to prevent the spread of those weeds to adjoining properties. In these cases, the enforcement agency is the NSW Department of Primary Industries.
Council's Noxious Weeds Program
PRIVATE PROPERTY
The majority of inspections undertaken by Council are as a result of community concerns. Many noxious weeds create health and/or property maintenance problems for neighbouring residents and are reported to Council. Council Officers will also undertake patrols of the Local Government Area and instigate noxious weed control in environmentally sensitive areas or where particularly troublesome specimens are located.
Council’s Noxious Weeds Officer inspects the subject property to confirm identification and provides affected property occupiers/owners with all the information required to facilitate control. Follow up inspections are undertaken and legal processes implemented, as required, to ensure that control requirements under the Noxious Weeds Act 1993 are met.
PUBLIC LAND
Noxious weeds are also an issue in bushland reserves, along tracks, waterways and disturbed areas where weed seeds are spread by wind, water, birds, animals and even attached to the clothing of people. They cause problems by smothering native vegetation, blocking creek and river systems and severely altering their ecology and often increasing flooding. Council’s Natural Resources Management team undertakes a combined noxious and environmental weed control program in many reserves and waterways with work undertaken by private contractors and/or community volunteer bushcare groups.
Noxious Weeds are a continuing problem in the Parramatta Local Government Area but through increased public awareness of noxious weeds and their impact on biodiversity, Council intends to reduce the extent of noxious weeds on both private and public land.
The Australian Weeds Strategy 2006 states 'prevention and early intervention are the most cost-effective strategies that can be developed against weeds'.
Customers may present samples of noxious weeds at Council's Customer Service Centre for identification.
Tree Preservation and Noxious Weeds
All control action under the Noxious Weeds Act 1993 replaces any restrictions under Counci's Tree Preservation Orders. You are advised to have all weeds correctly identified before removal to ensure that tree preservation penalties are not incurred.
For more information
Contact Council's Noxious Weeds Officers on 9806 5000, or follow the links to visit these useful sites:
Department of Primary Industries http://www.agric.nsw.gov.au/reader/weeds
Sydney Weeds Committees http://www.sydneyweeds.org.au/.
Cooperative Research Centre for Weed Management http://www.weeds.crc.org.au/index_flash.html
Weeds Australia http://www.weeds.org.au/
Department of Environment and Conservation (National Parks and Wildlife Service)
http://www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/npws.nsf/Content/Weeds
