GOLDFIELDS NULLARBOR RANGELANDS BIOSECURITY ASSOCIATION
PRIORITY PESTS
OUR PRIORITIES
The GNRBA priority declared pests are wild dogs, large feral herbivores and weeds such as cactus. These declared pests are the main focus of the operational plan. These pests impact significantly on pastoral production and the environment. GNRBA funds alone are not capable of fully controlling these pests, however the GNRBA manages these pests to the best of their ability within the financial confines of the DPA and opportunistic external funding.
While management of declared pests is the responsibility of individual land holders, the GNRBA offers assistance to landholders through best practice community coordinated control programs.
The GNRBA encourages broad scale, coordinated, cooperative and integrated pest management and control, and promotes best practice control methods. It is playing a key regional role in assisting land managers to control high impact declared pests.
WILD DOGS
Wild Dogs have the most significant impact on pastoral production and profit in the Goldfields Nullarbor Region. They attack small and large stock, causing direct stock losses, and also cause losses through maiming (and consequently commercial value), lambing and mis-mothering (Influence of the predatory effect) and the high cost of control measures.
The GNRBA utilises an integrated approach to wild dog management including landscape scale community coordinated aerial and ground baiting programs, supply of appropriate traps, baits and training for landholders and employment of LPMT doggers. This is supported by coordinated and cooperative stakeholder contributions (eg DBCA and shires) and external funding (eg R4R and grants).
Large feral herbivores
Large feral herbivores (feral camels, horses and donkeys) are having a significant impact on pastoral production and the environment in the Goldfields Nullarbor. They compete directly with stock for food and water, spread weeds, contribute to soil erosion, damage pastoral infrastructure including fences and water points, and foul natural waters.
The GNRBA endorses LFH management programs in the area of highest LFH impact. Traditionally this has been within the Shire of Wiluna which has been a broad scale, coordinated program in partnership with Pastoralists, Wiluna Shire, Desert Support Services (DSS) and Tarlka Matuwa Piarku Aboriginal Corporation (TMPAC).
It is essential the GNRBA continues to source appropriate partnerships to ensure the ongoing development of aerial programs within the region. These programs are very expensive, require significant planning and strategic on ground operations.
Additionally, the GNRBA provides an ammunition subsidy to any pastoralists located along the desert interface that experience high level LFH impact.
priority declared weeds
Cactus, parkinsonia, bathurst burr and onion weed are the GNRBA priority weeds. These weeds spread quickly by a variety of means, outcompete native vegetation and reduce the productive grazing capacity of pastoral lands.
With grant assistance from State NRM, Rangelands NRM and local Shires, the GNRBA have undertaken successful and ongoing success with it’s weed management programs. Managing and distributing host specific cactus cochineal, the GNRBA, participating shires and pastoralists have successfully introduced various cochineal biotypes to 4 major cactus species to date. Species targeted will continue to diversify as the cochineal species becomes available.
The GNRBA conducts numerous declared weed spraying activities utilising a qualified LPMT weed spraying contractor in partnership with external funding bodies (eg shires and grants). The GNRBA also supports land holders with herbicide reimbursement for widespread weed control.