❓ A parliamentary question addresses community concerns about Watsonia weed infestation in Greenmount National Park and Water Authority land, seeking details on eradication plans, resources, volunteer involvement, and inter-agency collaboration. The Minister provides detailed responses outlining current programs, budgets, and strategies.
AnsweredQoN 4070Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
(1) Is the Minister aware of community concerns about Watsonia growing in the Greenmount National Park, and in particular on the bushland near Coulston Road in Boya?
(2) What plans does the Department have to eradicate the weed?
(3) How is the weed best eradicated?
(4) How are volunteers currently involved?
(5) Are there ways in which volunteers could further assist?
(6) Which are the best months of the year to remove Watsonia?
(7) What is the Department’s budget for the removal of plants like Watsonia from this specific bushland?
(8) What is the Department’s budget for the removal of plants like Watsonia from all National Parks in Western Australia?
(9) How many Full Time Equivalents (FTEs) does the Department allocate to weed eradication from National Parks?
(10) What are the specific roles of each officer involved in weed eradication?
(11) What chemicals are currently being used to eradicate Watsonia?
(12) What are the licensing, training and safety requirements for the use of any chemicals used to eradicate Watsonia?
(13) Does the Department engage contractors to assist with weed or introduced plant eradication; and
(a) if so, what are the details?
(14) Is the Minister aware of concerns that Water Authority land on Coulston Road, having been cleared of other vegetation, now supports thousands of Watsonia plants that continuously reseed the natural bushland opposite?
(15) Will the Minister suggest to the Water Authority that they eradicate the Watsonia on their property so that the natural bushland opposite is not continuously reseeded with Watsonia?
(16) Will the Minister discuss the importance of the removal of the Watsonia from the Water Authority land with the Minister for Water; and
(a) if not, why not?
(17) What further assistance can the Department offer to eradicate the Watsonia from Boya and the Greenmount National Park?
(2) What plans does the Department have to eradicate the weed?
(3) How is the weed best eradicated?
(4) How are volunteers currently involved?
(5) Are there ways in which volunteers could further assist?
(6) Which are the best months of the year to remove Watsonia?
(7) What is the Department’s budget for the removal of plants like Watsonia from this specific bushland?
(8) What is the Department’s budget for the removal of plants like Watsonia from all National Parks in Western Australia?
(9) How many Full Time Equivalents (FTEs) does the Department allocate to weed eradication from National Parks?
(10) What are the specific roles of each officer involved in weed eradication?
(11) What chemicals are currently being used to eradicate Watsonia?
(12) What are the licensing, training and safety requirements for the use of any chemicals used to eradicate Watsonia?
(13) Does the Department engage contractors to assist with weed or introduced plant eradication; and
(a) if so, what are the details?
(14) Is the Minister aware of concerns that Water Authority land on Coulston Road, having been cleared of other vegetation, now supports thousands of Watsonia plants that continuously reseed the natural bushland opposite?
(15) Will the Minister suggest to the Water Authority that they eradicate the Watsonia on their property so that the natural bushland opposite is not continuously reseeded with Watsonia?
(16) Will the Minister discuss the importance of the removal of the Watsonia from the Water Authority land with the Minister for Water; and
(a) if not, why not?
(17) What further assistance can the Department offer to eradicate the Watsonia from Boya and the Greenmount National Park?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
10 November 2010
Responded by
Minister representing the Minister for Environment
Response time
48 days
The Minister for Environment has provided the following response:
(1) Yes.
(2) The Department of Environment and Conservation (DEC) has a targeted Watsonia control program in national parks across the Perth Hills including Greenmount National Park.
(3) Watsonia is best controlled either by hand removal or through targeted application of herbicides such as Glyphosate or Propon (2, 2-DPA).
(4) A number of volunteer groups are actively involved in physical removal and chemical control of Watsonia. DEC supports these efforts by providing technical advice, herbicides and other materials and by supporting these groups when they seek funding grants.
(5) The volunteer groups already do an excellent job in undertaking on-ground works in their local areas, complementing the more broadscale weed control programs which DEC undertakes in national parks.
(6) Hand removal is generally best undertaken early in the plant's growing season, in autumn or early winter. Chemical control is generally best applied just before flowering, and this usually occurs in spring.
(7) DEC spends between $12,000 and $15,000 per annum on the control of Watsonia in the GreenmountNational Parkarea.
(8) The expenditure on weed control by DEC in national parks for 2009/10 was $387,000. The expenditure on weed control by the department across all DEC-managed lands, including unallocated Crown land, in 2009/10 was approximately $2.5 million.
(9) DEC allocated approximately 1,360 person days to weed control in national parks in 2009/10. Contracted weed control effort is not reflected in this figure.
(10) The roles of DEC personnel involved in weed control include weed threat analysis, weed mapping, liaison with stakeholders including community groups, on-ground weed control, and monitoring response to control measures undertaken.
(11) DEC uses Propon (2, 2-DPA) or a mix of Glyphosate 450 with Pulse and Propon (2, 2-DPA).
(12) All persons who apply pesticides commercially are required under the Health (Pesticides) Regulations 1956 to hold a current licence with the Department of Health. Where a person applies a herbicide commercially, such as a contractor, they must undertake training through an accredited training organisation such as TAFE or a private training provider. All persons applying pesticides commercially must also be employed by a registered pest management firm.
DEC personnel, including volunteers, must be provided with an appropriate level of training in the use of chemicals for weed control to ensure duty of care for employees in accordance with the
Occupational Safety and Health Act 1984.
Personnel are also required to wear personal protective equipment appropriate to the chemicals being used for weed control.
(13) Yes.
(a) DEC records identify 40 contractor programs in 2009/10 at a cost of $541,000 for weed control on DEC-managed lands.
(14) Yes.
(15)-(16) This matter has been raised directly with the Minister for Water's office.
(17) DEC will continue to implement an annual Watsonia control program in Greenmount National Park and will also continue to work with community groups, the Shire of Mundaring and others, including the Water Corporation.
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(1) Yes.
(2) The Department of Environment and Conservation (DEC) has a targeted Watsonia control program in national parks across the Perth Hills including Greenmount National Park.
(3) Watsonia is best controlled either by hand removal or through targeted application of herbicides such as Glyphosate or Propon (2, 2-DPA).
(4) A number of volunteer groups are actively involved in physical removal and chemical control of Watsonia. DEC supports these efforts by providing technical advice, herbicides and other materials and by supporting these groups when they seek funding grants.
(5) The volunteer groups already do an excellent job in undertaking on-ground works in their local areas, complementing the more broadscale weed control programs which DEC undertakes in national parks.
(6) Hand removal is generally best undertaken early in the plant's growing season, in autumn or early winter. Chemical control is generally best applied just before flowering, and this usually occurs in spring.
(7) DEC spends between $12,000 and $15,000 per annum on the control of Watsonia in the GreenmountNational Parkarea.
(8) The expenditure on weed control by DEC in national parks for 2009/10 was $387,000. The expenditure on weed control by the department across all DEC-managed lands, including unallocated Crown land, in 2009/10 was approximately $2.5 million.
(9) DEC allocated approximately 1,360 person days to weed control in national parks in 2009/10. Contracted weed control effort is not reflected in this figure.
(10) The roles of DEC personnel involved in weed control include weed threat analysis, weed mapping, liaison with stakeholders including community groups, on-ground weed control, and monitoring response to control measures undertaken.
(11) DEC uses Propon (2, 2-DPA) or a mix of Glyphosate 450 with Pulse and Propon (2, 2-DPA).
(12) All persons who apply pesticides commercially are required under the Health (Pesticides) Regulations 1956 to hold a current licence with the Department of Health. Where a person applies a herbicide commercially, such as a contractor, they must undertake training through an accredited training organisation such as TAFE or a private training provider. All persons applying pesticides commercially must also be employed by a registered pest management firm.
DEC personnel, including volunteers, must be provided with an appropriate level of training in the use of chemicals for weed control to ensure duty of care for employees in accordance with the
Occupational Safety and Health Act 1984.
Personnel are also required to wear personal protective equipment appropriate to the chemicals being used for weed control.
(13) Yes.
(a) DEC records identify 40 contractor programs in 2009/10 at a cost of $541,000 for weed control on DEC-managed lands.
(14) Yes.
(15)-(16) This matter has been raised directly with the Minister for Water's office.
(17) DEC will continue to implement an annual Watsonia control program in Greenmount National Park and will also continue to work with community groups, the Shire of Mundaring and others, including the Water Corporation.
Notice: This document is created or edited using unregistered or evaluation copy of rtLib valid for testing or development purposes only. To use it for productive or any other purposes please register it. You may purchase the license on
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