Pest plant species in Tumut Shire, Australia

Indicator: Pest plant species

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What the results tell us for Tumut

For a map showing the distribution of pest plants across the Region, Contact us for details of the full report for the Australian Capital Region (available only on CD-ROM).

Tumut Shire Council lists seven species of plants as weeds that it controls, as listed in Table1. Of these, four were identified in the 1997 report as being of particular concern: Pattersons Curse, St John's Wort, Blackberry and Sweet Briar. No indication was given of area affected, densities of weed infestation or whether the infestation was reducing or becoming worse over time.

Table 1. Pest plant species found in Tumut Shire
Common name	Area infested, location and density of infestations
St. John's Wort Hypericum perforatum	Located on roadsides, and public and agricultural land throughout the Shire. Thrives in national parks and state forest.
Blackberry Rufus fruticosus	High rainfall rural land and roadsides, also heavy infestations in national parks and state forests.
Paterson's Curse Echium spp.	Roadsides, public land and agricultural land. Particularly abundant on lowland grazing country
Illyrium Thistle Onopordum illyricum	Light scattering throughout the Shire
Scotch Broom Cytisus scoparius	On Shire roadsides where soil has been disturbed
Sweet Briar Rosa rubiginosa	High rainfall agricultural land and roadsides, also heavy infestations in national parks and state forests.
Bathurst Burr Xanthium spinosum

Other plants listed in State of the Environment-1997 as weeds were: Cootamundra Wattle, Yucca, Scarlet Pimpernel, Capeweed, Wild Oats, Silver Birch, Quaking/Blowfly Grass, Shivery Grass, Brome Grass, Saffron Thistle, Tagasaste/Lucerne Tree, Chicory, Spear/Black Thistle, Cotoneasters, Hawthorn, Dodder, Nut Grass, Scotch/English Broom, Cocksfoot, Paterson's Curse, Fleabane, Sugar Gum, Fig Tree, Cleavers, Cape/Canary Broom, Silky Oak, Ivy, Yorkshire Fog Grass, Barley Grass, St. John's Wort, Holly, Stinkwort, Walnut tree, Rushes, Privet, Rye Grass, Honeysuckle, Apple Trees, Mallows, White Cedar Tree, soursob, paspalum, Phalaris, Pines, Plantain/ribwort, Poplars, Plum and Cherry Trees, Douglas Fir, Firethorns, Oak Trees, Wild Radish, False Acacia/Black Locust, Briar Rose/Sweet Briar, Blackberry, Docks, Sorrel, Willows, Variegated Thistle, Black Nightshade, Common Sow Thistle, Spanish Broom, Dandelion, Haresfoot clover, Clovers, various, Gorse, Elms, Nettles, Mullein, Purple Top, Vetch, and Blue Periwinkle.

Description: What does 'pest plant species' measure?

Which data are collected?

location and abundance of each pest plant species

Why do we report this indicator?

Pest plants are more commonly known as weeds. Pest plants can invade rural land (agricultural weeds) or natural habitats (environmental weeds). They are plants which, because of their characteristics and/or location, cause economic, ecological, physical or aesthetic problems, often with significant potential impacts on local and regional biodiversity.

The location and abundance of pest plant species are of interest to State of the Environment reporting because they indicate the pressure on the environment (both natural and agricultural) of the deliberate or accidental introduction of non-local species. Where introduced plants are found in streams, the location and abundance of the plants should be reported in relation to the length of the stream channel, because such plants can modify stream channels dramatically.

Most pest plants are non-native (introduced) species. However, some native species are also considered pests in certain circumstances e.g. Burgan Kunzea ericoides syn. Leptospermum phylicoides on grazing land or Cootamundra Wattle Acacia baileyana when translocated outside its original habitat.

Pest plants generally compete vigorously with native species for water, nutrients, light, habitat or pollinators: the result is often the elimination, at least locally, of native plants. This in turn affects animal biodiversity by removing or reducing food supplies, nesting sites and cover from predators.

Although most pest plants cannot invade undisturbed habitats (Pine Pinus radiata is an exception), they often prevent native species regenerating in disturbed areas, and thus require some form of weed control, usually with herbicides.