Tackling weed infestation at Cape York to enhance water quality of Great Barrier Reef
Suellen Hinde - Queensland Editor |
Water quality on the Great Barrier Reef is being improved by a new project in Cape York targeting weeds, feral pigs and invasive grasses around the wetlands of Kings Plains Lake and the monsoon rainforests of the Normanby and Annan Rivers.
Wetlands act as a filter for water flowing from the land – better water quality is better for the reef. They are also a refuge and a breeding ground for different animal and plant species.
“Catchments to Coral is a program that works with landholders to fund various projects designed to protect and improve wetlands and floodplains, coastal vegetation and turtle nesting beaches, while building the skills base of landholders and communities within the eastern flowing catchments of Cape York,” Cape York Natural Resource Management (NRM) Project leader Dave Preece said.
“The funding goes to projects that address invasive species, fire management, marine debris, managing access, fencing out feral animals and so forth. It’s a whole-of-catchment approach that accepts improved land management equals better water quality for the Great Barrier Reef.”
The Kings Plains Station project, which runs from November 2021 to June 2023, will also incorporate work at Caloola Station. Both locations are near Cooktown and owned by South Endeavour Trust.
“The two properties contain a highly diverse mosaic of regional ecosystems,” Mr Preece said.
“The Lake and the well-developed rainforests are two of the highest biodiversity assets.
“The properties are at major threat of increasing weed invasion by high biomass grasses that are moving along the public road corridors through both properties.
“And in the case of Kings Plains Lake, there is a very significant infestation of Olive Hymenachne that is slowly moving downstream. Feral pigs are also heavily disturbing the area around the lake and monsoon forests.”
The Project aims to protect both properties from further incursions of these weeds, which include Gamba, Mission Grass and Guinea Grass and Grader Grass and eradicate all new infestations before they become established.
Gamba grass was introduced to Australia as a pasture grass from Africa. It has become a significant environmental weed and is considered an ecosystem transformer, posing multiple threats to the savanna ecosystems of northern Australia. But it also has the capacity to increase fuel loads, resulting in intense fires.
“We address the causes and focus on building knowledge and capacity by funding training and workshops and there’s also flexibility, so if it is a good and successful project it can be extended,” Mr Preece said.
The Project is one of approximately 12 new projects on Cape York being funded under Cape York NRM’s Catchments to Coral Program that is supported by the Federal Government’s Reef Trust 7 program.
