THE Limestone Coast Landscape Board has highlighted recent success in targeted control programs of the notorious African Lovegrass weed.
The highly invasive, summer growing, perennial grass is declared under the Landscape South Australia Act 2019 and once established in an area, removal can be expensive.
A hardy weed, it is known to produce large, unpalatable tussocks that provide low nutrition value to livestock and displace productive plants in pastures.
Limestone Coast Landscape Board operations manager Mike Stevens said the program had treated 100Ha along 430km of roadsides, benefiting over 200 landowners.
The control program involves spraying the areas with herbicide and complements the eradication already undertaken by the region’s farmers.
Mr Stevens said the targeted campaign aimed to contain infestations in the upper area of the region and prevent further infestations in the lower region establishing.
“Transport corridors are a main pathway for this weed to be spread, it is important to be aware of infested sites and undertake measures to prevent the spread of seed to new areas,” Mr Stevens said.
Commending the weed control efforts already undertaken by landscape officers and the community, Mr Stevens said the board would continue to focus on farm compliance.
“We are urging all landholders in the region to support the African lovegrass control program by treating infestations on properties,” he said.
