Featured image via Department of
Primary Industries and Regional Development, WA.
Gardeners and farmers can whack a weed with certainty thanks
to a new app with the most up-to-date information on identifying and
controlling declared weeds.
The South Australian Weed Control app
– available for Android and Apple mobile devices – describes all 139 weeds
declared under the Natural Resources Management (NRM) Act and follows a
five-year review of the state’s weed policies by PIRSA Biosecurity SA in
association with eight NRM Boards.
The app includes:
·
Colour photographs and descriptions to aid
identification of weeds;
·
Chemical and non-chemical control methods;
·
Links to state policies and further details on
each declared plant, including provisions of the Act applying in the user’s NRM
region;
·
Information on the safe use of herbicides
It also allows users to:
Record the GPS location of weeds;
·
Keep notes and a log of control activities;
·
Phone or email regional NRM officers to report
weeds;
·
Take photos to include in weed notifications and
requests for advice.
The app is designed for landholders, members of the public
interested in weed control and garden industry and NRM professionals.
Sustainability, Environment and Conservation Minister Ian Hunter said, “Weeds
cost Australian agriculture more than $4 billion each year, in addition to
negative impacts on the environment. This new app will allow land managers and
gardeners across the state to recognise declared weeds easily and decide the
best course of action on the spot.”
While much of the content is also available in the hard copy
version, Weed
Control Handbook for Declared Plants in South Australia, the app adds extra
functionality and ease of use for those who prefer digital communications.
Plants may be declared for control under the Natural
Resources Management (NRM) Act 2004 if they pose a significant threat to
primary industries, natural environments or public safety. Declaring a plant
under the NRM Act provides legislative support for regional strategic weed
management plans, including enforced control and the prohibition of sale or
transport.
Low risk alternatives to declared plants previously popular
in the garden industry can be found in the Grow
Me Instead booklet published by the Nursery and Garden Industry of South
Australia in partnership with PIRSA Biosecurity SA.
To download the South Australian Weed Control app, click here.