❓ A parliamentary question addresses cotton bush infestation in Yalgorup National Park, questioning the government's response and consistency with Ramsar Convention obligations. The answer outlines control efforts, challenges due to neighbouring land management, resource allocation, and the unlikelihood of complete eradication.
AnsweredQoN 1987Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
I refer to Yalgorup National Park and ask: (a) what are you and the Department of Parks and Wildlife doing to rid the park of a cotton bush infestation; (b) why has the infestation been allowed to get to the extent that it now is at; (c) why wasn’t the infestation attacked before it reached its current extent; (d) given that the infestation is thriving, why haven’t adequate resources been deployed to protect this important habitat; (e) how is the current level of management consistent with our obligations under the internationally recognised Ramsar Convention; and (f) when will to Yalgorup National Park be rid of cotton bush?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
6 May 2014
Responded by
Minister for Environment
Response time
47 days
(a) The Department of Parks and Wildlife implements a strategic approach to weed control that involves identification and mapping of weed locations and then using this information to determine areas where priority treatment is most likely to result in eradication or a significant reduction of the weed population.
Three hundred and thirteen hectares of cotton bush control occurred in the sections of Yalgorup National Park located north of Ellis Road in 2012-13 and further weed control work within the park is planned for this year.
(b)-(c) The success of weed control works on conservation estate is dependent on the degree to which complementary weed management works are being conducted on neighbouring properties. Weed control within the national park in the absence of work being undertaken on private property is highly ineffective. The recently formed Peel Pest and Weed Group and the department will work more closely with neighbouring land managers to deliver a coordinated and cooperative control effort to improve the effectiveness of weed control within the park.
(d) Significant resources are expended by the department on weed control annually across the Swan Coastal Plain. Over the past two years this broader program has included targeted weed control effort to control cotton bush in the area north of Ellis Road within Yalgorup National Park.
(e) The obligation of the State Government in relation to the Ramsar Convention is to maintain the ecological character of the Ramsar site. The current extent of the weed infestation in Yalgorup National Park is not threatening the ecological character and therefore current management is consistent with these obligations.
(f) It is unlikely that cotton bush will be completely eradicated from within Yalgorup National Park given seed is readily spread by wind and is able to travel significant distances from adjoining lands posing a constant threat of reinvasion to the park.
Three hundred and thirteen hectares of cotton bush control occurred in the sections of Yalgorup National Park located north of Ellis Road in 2012-13 and further weed control work within the park is planned for this year.
(b)-(c) The success of weed control works on conservation estate is dependent on the degree to which complementary weed management works are being conducted on neighbouring properties. Weed control within the national park in the absence of work being undertaken on private property is highly ineffective. The recently formed Peel Pest and Weed Group and the department will work more closely with neighbouring land managers to deliver a coordinated and cooperative control effort to improve the effectiveness of weed control within the park.
(d) Significant resources are expended by the department on weed control annually across the Swan Coastal Plain. Over the past two years this broader program has included targeted weed control effort to control cotton bush in the area north of Ellis Road within Yalgorup National Park.
(e) The obligation of the State Government in relation to the Ramsar Convention is to maintain the ecological character of the Ramsar site. The current extent of the weed infestation in Yalgorup National Park is not threatening the ecological character and therefore current management is consistent with these obligations.
(f) It is unlikely that cotton bush will be completely eradicated from within Yalgorup National Park given seed is readily spread by wind and is able to travel significant distances from adjoining lands posing a constant threat of reinvasion to the park.
Explore WA Government Data
Search the full archive in the free dashboard, or query programmatically via API.
Explore more
Government Gazette
Appointments, regulatory notices, planning changes.
Hansard
Debates, questions, speeches and sentiment.
Tabled Papers
Reports and documents tabled in Parliament.
Committees
Committee profiles and recent reports.
Regulations
Subsidiary legislation with filters and summaries.
Bills
Proposed laws and parliamentary progress.
Acts
Current WA legislation and summaries.
Explanatory Memoranda
Bills with EMs (text/PDF) available.
Members
MP profiles, party breakdown and rankings.
Pollie Rankings
Data-driven rankings across 19 categories.
Amendment Chains
Track how schemes and regulations evolve over time.