❓ A parliamentary question regarding herbicide application in Yabberup forest in 2009, focusing on the type, quantity, dates, monitoring, and environmental impact of the herbicide used. The response details the application process and justifies the lack of extensive monitoring due to the low risk of environmental impact.
AnsweredQoN 6378Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
Regarding the herbicide application to the forest in Yabberup 2009, I ask:
(a) which herbicides were applied in this area;
(b) if Roundup was used, what type;
(c) what was the total quantity of herbicide applied;
(d) what were the dates of the application;
(e) are there records kept of amounts and dates used, and if not, why not;
(f) what surface and groundwater monitoring quality was conducted before and following the application of herbicide;
(g) what has this monitoring shown;
(h) what environmental monitoring of the forest ecosystem was conducted before and the application of herbicide;
(i) what has this monitoring shown;
(j) have residues of the applied herbicides been detected in any surface and groundwater quality monitoring of the area;
(k) what were the limits of detection for the sampling regime; and
(l) will the Minister please table any environmental monitoring results relating to the application of herbicides to the forest in Yabberup in 2009?
(a) which herbicides were applied in this area;
(b) if Roundup was used, what type;
(c) what was the total quantity of herbicide applied;
(d) what were the dates of the application;
(e) are there records kept of amounts and dates used, and if not, why not;
(f) what surface and groundwater monitoring quality was conducted before and following the application of herbicide;
(g) what has this monitoring shown;
(h) what environmental monitoring of the forest ecosystem was conducted before and the application of herbicide;
(i) what has this monitoring shown;
(j) have residues of the applied herbicides been detected in any surface and groundwater quality monitoring of the area;
(k) what were the limits of detection for the sampling regime; and
(l) will the Minister please table any environmental monitoring results relating to the application of herbicides to the forest in Yabberup in 2009?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
22 November 2011
Responded by
Minister for Forestry
Response time
33 days
(a) Glyphosate (Roundup) was applied in the area.
(b) Glyphosate 450 was used. Glyphosate 450 is a water soluble herbicide that is absorbed by plant foliage and green stems. It is translocated within the plant from the point of contact to the root system.
(c) A solution of 85 per cent chemical and 15 per cent water was applied. Three millilitres of the solution was applied to each notch. The average rate of application was 3 to 4 litres of solution per hectare. However, the intensity of application varies depending on the silvicultural objective.
The total area treated at Yabberup was 1350 hectares. Based on the average rate of application, it is estimated that approximately 4000 litres of chemical was used.
(d) Chemical applications were undertaken during the 2009 and 2010 calendar years.
(e) Precise quantities are not available as the operations are undertaken by contractors. Dates when activities were undertaken are available from contractor payments.
(f) No surface or groundwater monitoring is necessary. The chemical is injected directly into the tree and there is a very low risk of soil or water contamination. Glyphosate 450 becomes inert when it comes in contact with the soil.
(g) Not applicable.
(h) Prior to application of the herbicide, a Planning Checklist for Disturbance Activities (DEC 019) is completed. The checklist identifies any environmental values that could be compromised by the operations.
Post application a Jarrah Cull Thinning Assessment Form (FPC112) is completed. This assessment reviews the effectiveness of the operation and the conditions under which the chemical application has been undertaken.
Contractors have a responsibility to report any chemical spills as part of agreed emergency response procedures. No spills were reported on any of the blocks treated and no evidence of spills was found by forest officers supervising the operations.
No post application monitoring of ecosystem is undertaken at the coupe (or patch) level for this particular operation (notching) because of the low risk of any impact. At a wider level, the Forest Check research programme is undertaken by the Department of Environment and Conservation. This programme is used to monitor ecological processes and the impacts of various forest activities.
(i) Forest Check monitoring has shown that timber harvesting activity and other associated operations have no long term impacts to bio-diversity values.
(j) Monitoring is not undertaken as the risk of the chemical entering waterways as a result of this procedure is very low. The herbicide has been injected directly into the tree and is then translocated to the root system. The chemical becomes inert once in contact with the soil.
(k)-(l) Not applicable.
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(b) Glyphosate 450 was used. Glyphosate 450 is a water soluble herbicide that is absorbed by plant foliage and green stems. It is translocated within the plant from the point of contact to the root system.
(c) A solution of 85 per cent chemical and 15 per cent water was applied. Three millilitres of the solution was applied to each notch. The average rate of application was 3 to 4 litres of solution per hectare. However, the intensity of application varies depending on the silvicultural objective.
The total area treated at Yabberup was 1350 hectares. Based on the average rate of application, it is estimated that approximately 4000 litres of chemical was used.
(d) Chemical applications were undertaken during the 2009 and 2010 calendar years.
(e) Precise quantities are not available as the operations are undertaken by contractors. Dates when activities were undertaken are available from contractor payments.
(f) No surface or groundwater monitoring is necessary. The chemical is injected directly into the tree and there is a very low risk of soil or water contamination. Glyphosate 450 becomes inert when it comes in contact with the soil.
(g) Not applicable.
(h) Prior to application of the herbicide, a Planning Checklist for Disturbance Activities (DEC 019) is completed. The checklist identifies any environmental values that could be compromised by the operations.
Post application a Jarrah Cull Thinning Assessment Form (FPC112) is completed. This assessment reviews the effectiveness of the operation and the conditions under which the chemical application has been undertaken.
Contractors have a responsibility to report any chemical spills as part of agreed emergency response procedures. No spills were reported on any of the blocks treated and no evidence of spills was found by forest officers supervising the operations.
No post application monitoring of ecosystem is undertaken at the coupe (or patch) level for this particular operation (notching) because of the low risk of any impact. At a wider level, the Forest Check research programme is undertaken by the Department of Environment and Conservation. This programme is used to monitor ecological processes and the impacts of various forest activities.
(i) Forest Check monitoring has shown that timber harvesting activity and other associated operations have no long term impacts to bio-diversity values.
(j) Monitoring is not undertaken as the risk of the chemical entering waterways as a result of this procedure is very low. The herbicide has been injected directly into the tree and is then translocated to the root system. The chemical becomes inert once in contact with the soil.
(k)-(l) Not applicable.
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
http://www.rtlib.com
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