A near $6 million investment in sustainable weed biocontrol solutions aims to support Australia’s drought resilience
The initial stage of the National Weed Biocontrol Pipeline Strategy project has identified 20 weed species for investment, helping to support drought resilience from some of Australia’s worst weeds.
The federal government has invested $5.9 million in the five-year initiative, with evidence-based, sustainable weed biocontrol solutions now rolling out.
Six of the 12 Weeds of National Significance (WoNS) listed in the National Weed Biocontrol Investment Report, and seven weed species overall, are in scope. These are:
- African boxthorn (Lycium ferocissimum)
- Cabomba (Cabomba caroliniana)
- Prickly acacia (Vachellia nilotica)
- Opuntioid cacti (several species of cacti including tree prickly pears, Hudson pear, rope pear and snake cactus)
- Salvinia (Salvinia molesta)
- Sagittaria (Sagittaria platyphylla).
Horehound (Marrubium vulgare) is the final weed species covered by this nation-wide biocontrol collaboration supporting sustainable land management.
Weeds cost Australia nearly $5 billion annually, threatening ecosystems, waterways, and agricultural productivity.
Biocontrol uses natural enemies from a weed’s home range and is a cost-effective solution at landscape-scale which can deliver a better return on investment.
A CSIRO review found that from an average annual investment of just $4.3 million, biocontrols deliver annual benefits of $95.3 million, with a ROI of $23 for every dollar spent in weed biocontrol research.
The Centre for Invasive Species Solutions (CISS) is leading these weed biocontrol efforts via a national weed biocontrol consortium comprising CSIRO, Queensland’s Department of Primary Industries, Agriculture Victoria and NSW’s Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development.
CISS research, development and engagement director John Virtue says the investment protects Australia’s landscapes but also develops self-sustaining solutions to weed management at a national scale.
“This is such a strong finish for the National Weed Biocontrol Pipeline Strategy Initial Stage project, transitioning to one of what we hope will be many national weed biocontrol projects into the future,” he says.
“It’s a great recognition of the outstanding work Australia’s leading minds in weed biocontrol and weed risk assessment have put into developing the pipeline strategy to prioritise weeds needing investment.
“Translating the strategy to on-ground action of mass agent release means Australia benefits from reducing the devastating economic, environmental and social impacts of weeds.
“The next vital focus will be to build investment for the initial stages of the pipeline – the finding and testing of new biological control agents for other priority weeds. Australia benefits so much from biocontrol and we don’t want the pipeline to run dry.”