The NSW Government has allocated $2.1 million across 17 new projects to tackle pests and weeds across the state, including tropical soda apple, wild dogs, harrisia cactus and feral deer.

The funding is part of the government’s biosecurity plan to protect the state’s primary industries and regional landscapes by focusing on addressing pest and weed matters impacting both public and neighbouring private lands, which is funded through the $10 million Good Neighbours Program.

The 17 new projects focus on coordinated pest animal and weed control programs, as well as capacity-building workshops and training for landholders and land managers and will be delivered in partnership with public land managers such as Forestry Corporation, the National Parks and Wildlife Service, Crown Land and local councils.

The new projects cover initiatives such as the following:

• Improving wild dog management across the Central Tablelands
• Reducing feral pig impacts along the Mid North Coast
• Improving statewide biosecurity strategic management on Crown Lands
• Minimising threats to endangered coastal emu populations within the Clarence region from invasive vertebrate pests

This builds on the progress of the first round of projects, which were allocated $4.25 million and announced earlier this year, that are actively underway across the state, such as the following:

• Boxing Glove Control Program in Western NSW - has helped protect 55,903 hectares of private and public land in Sturt National Park and Tibooburra from boxing glove cactus through targeted weed control and the use of cochineal insects.
• Tropical soda apple control North Coast - Public land managers and local control authorities have carried out 1,535 hectares of tropical soda apple control activities.
• Feral Pig Management Program Bathurst – Forestry Corporation has brought together 47 landholders next to state forests in the area to work collaboratively to target feral pigs across 5,949 hectares.

The Good Neighbours Program will deliver a total of 36 projects across NSW. Visit nsw.gov.au/good-neighbours to learn more and see the full list of projects.

Minister for Agriculture and Regional NSW, Tara Moriarty, said, “We know pest animals and weeds do not respect property boundaries, which is why the Minns Government is investing in a range of new and expanded on-ground biosecurity projects to protect farms lands and our environment through the Good Neighbours Program.

“These projects support public and private land managers to work together to prevent the spread of pests and weeds because we can only make headway by collaborating.

“We are already seeing positive results from these collaborative efforts, including stronger relationships between landholders and land managers, which we will continue to build on as the latest projects get underway.

“The latest projects continue the important work already underway which is showing success. There is action addressing target problem pests and weeds, such as feral pigs, deer, tropical soda apple and Hudson pear.”

GOOD NEIGHBOURS PROGRAM – 17 NEW PROJECTS LIST

• Controlling kudzu vine weed bordering the Comboyne township on the NSW North Coast
  • Local Land Services (LLS) is supporting public agencies and private landholders to deliver a weed management project to control the invasive vine weed kudzu on private and public land bordering the township of Comboyne on the NSW North Coast. This effort aims to reduce the spread and impact of kudzu to a level where land managers can continue to manage its impacts.
• Controlling glory lily in conservation and cultural areas within the Macleay region in South West Rocks area
  • LLS is supporting public agencies, community groups and private landholders to deliver a targeted priority weed management project focusing on the localised containment of glory lily along coastal dunes within national parks, public land, and Local Aboriginal Land Council land.
• Feral deer management in the Euabalong area in Western NSW
  • LLS in collaboration with public agencies and private landholders will deliver a comprehensive pest management program. This program will target feral deer on public and private land in the Hillston-Euabalong area.
• Gwydir Valley pest management project near Inverell
  • LLS is supporting public agencies and local landholders to deliver a collaborative pest management project to reduce the impact of feral deer and other priority pests in the Gwydir State Conservation Area. The project will undertake control measures and build skills, capacity and collaboration for ongoing management.
• Increasing tropical soda apple management across the North Coast and Northern Tablelands
  • LLS is working with public agencies on a coordinated effort to control tropical soda apple on different types of public land and neighbouring properties in areas across the North Coast and Northern Tablelands regions including Tenterfield along the Richmond River and the Upper Macleay at Georges Junction
• Impact reduction of red cestrum in the Killabakh Nature Reserve on the mid-North Coast
  • LLS is supporting public agencies and private landholders to deliver a targeted weed management project. This project will aim to control red cestrum along roadsides and other public and private land in Killabakh Nature Reserve.
• Improving statewide biosecurity strategic management on Crown Lands
  • LLS is supporting Crown Lands and adjoining landholders to develop, implement an improved statewide biosecurity strategy to guide best practice biosecurity management.
• Improving wild dog management across the Central Tablelands
  • LLS in conjunction with public and private land managers will develop a strategic plan to assess and implement best practice wild dog control across the Central Tablelands.
• Managing pests across Central Tablelands state forests
  • LLS is supporting Forestry Corporation of NSW and private landholders to conduct on-ground control in the Bathurst region. The project aims to reduce the impacts of a broad range of invasive species, primarily feral deer.
• Minimising threats to coastal emu populations within the Clarence region
  • LLS is supporting public agencies and private landholders to reduce the impacts of invasive vertebrate pests on the endangered coastal emu population in and around the forests of the Clarence region.
• North Bathurst pest management project
  • LLS is supporting public agencies and private landholders participating in the North Bathurst pest management project. The project aims to reduce the impacts of feral deer and pigs across both public and private land.
• Osage orange control in the Macintyre River riparian area near Inverell
  • LLS is supporting public agencies and private landholders to deliver a targeted weed management program to manage Osage orange along 20 kilometres of the Macintyre River, protecting valuable riparian zones and agricultural land.
• Protecting the Ramsar values of Caryapundy Swamp near Tibooburra
  • LLS in collaboration with public agencies and private landholders will support the delivery of a multifaceted pest and weed management program aimed at preserving the biological diversity of the Ramsar listed Caryapundy Swamp.
• Reducing feral pig impacts along the Mid North Coast
  • LLS is supporting public agencies and private landholders to deliver a feral pig management project across forestry plantations and neighbouring private land across multiple state forests in the Wingham and wider Mid North Coast area.
• Reducing impacts on the Robertson Rainforest in the Southern Highlands
  • LLS is supporting public agencies and private landholders to deliver a comprehensive pest and weed management project. This project aims to reduce the impact of feral deer and invasive weeds in the South East Region. This project provides practical support and training to landholders to meet their biosecurity obligations.
• Reducing the impact of harrisia cactus on agricultural land in Warren Shire
  • LLS, Castlereagh Macquarie County Council and private landholders, will coordinate efforts to control the spread and impacts of harrisia cactus in Central Western NSW.
• Reducing the impact of pests and weeds in the Hunter Estuary Wetlands Ramsar area near Newcastle
  • LLS is supporting public agencies and private landholders to deliver a cross-tenure pest and weed management project. This program aims to create a buffer to protect sensitive ecological areas within the Hunter Wetlands National Park.