Indicator: IW-36 Willow removal
Data
In NSW the volunteers are attempting to control willows in the Colo River Gorge area of Wollemi National Park. The terrain in this area is extremely rugged and its remoteness means that access has to be made with helicopters or canoes. Mature willow trees have been completely eradicated from over 60 km of the Colo River.
Willow control programs have commenced in areas of the Blue Mountains including waterways in the Kanangra-Boyd National Park, with the assistance of the Blue Mountains City Council volunteer bushwalkers.
A "willow bash" is organised in autumn and spring each year where volunteers, sometimes as many as 70, and contractors, remove willows along the Goulburn River. Most of the willows along the river inside the Park boundaries have been removed and efforts are now concentrating in "off-park" sections of the river.
In Kosciuszko National Park, various agencies and groups are targeting willow populations.
Annual costs of willow management by river management authorities in Victoria and Tasmania is about $2 million each.
What the data mean
Willow removal is expensive and resource intensive and programs need to include revegetation if they are not to do more harm than good. Much of the work is done by volunteers.
Data Limitations
No data are available on the number or effectiveness of willow removal programs, nor on whether areas where willows are being removed are being successfully revegetated.
Issues for which this is an indicator and why
Inland Waters — Human response - policy and management - Management of aquatic biota and biodiversity
Willow management provides an example of strong but localised community action intended to remove unwanted species from the environment. Community action is potentially useful to environmental management but this depends on the extent to which: decisions to act are based on sound information and science; efforts are coordinated to maximise outcomes; and effectiveness of actions are monitored and evaluated. In this case the critical issue is whether revegetation is undertaken at the same time as willow removal. If banks are left denuded of vegetation by willow removal, this is a matter of considerably greater environmental concern than the presence of willows.
Other indicators for this issue:
- IW-45 Groundwater management plans that consider groundwater dependent ecosystems
- IW-48 Ramsar wetlands with implemented management plans
- BD-03 Summary of measures being implemented to respond to threats to biodiversity from invasive species
Biodiversity — Species, habitats and ecological communities - Community action on species and ecological communities
Willow management provides an example of strong but localised community action intended to remove unwanted species from the environment. Community action is potentially useful to environmental management but this depends on the extent to which: decisions to act are based on sound information and science; efforts are coordinated to maximise outcomes; and effectiveness of actions are monitored and evaluated. In this case the critical issue is whether revegetation is undertaken at the same time as willow removal. If banks are left denuded of vegetation by willow removal, this is a matter of considerably greater environmental concern than the presence of willows.
Other indicators for this issue:
- BD-06 Measures taken to conserve species or ecological communities on land that is not part of the national reserve system
- BD-07 Examples of Indigenous knowledge of species and ecological communities and their utilisation for management by Indigenous and non-Indigenous managers and for other purposes by Indigenous and non-Indigenous people
- BD-02 Conservation status of nationally significant species and ecological communities, compared with previous years
Biodiversity — Landscapes - Community action on landscape protection
Willow management provides an example of strong but localised community action intended to remove unwanted species from the environment. Community action is potentially useful to environmental management but this depends on the extent to which: decisions to act are based on sound information and science; efforts are coordinated to maximise outcomes; and effectiveness of actions are monitored and evaluated. In this case the critical issue is whether revegetation is undertaken at the same time as willow removal. If banks are left denuded of vegetation by willow removal, this is a matter of considerably greater environmental concern than the presence of willows.
Other indicators for this issue:
- BD-06 Measures taken to conserve species or ecological communities on land that is not part of the national reserve system
- LD-38 Regions with investments having a major focus on salinity
Further Information
- Strategic Planning for Willow Management in Tasmania (Farrell 2003)
- NSW NPWS - Willows - weed management programs in 2003
- Weeds Australia’s Weeds of National Significance list
Key
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