Clifton Weedbusters watch for nasty creepers
This Saturday, the Clifton Weedbusters group will wield their secateurs, pruning saws and Vigilant sprays to combat banana passion vine and Old Man's Beard plants they find.
This time they will tackle invasive creepers at Upper Rocklands Road on Jill Pearson's property. Co-ordinator Chris Rowse commented that "Most of the properties behind the ‘reef', where Jill's house is, and the neighbours to the north have been cleared, and giving Jill a hand will make a big difference to the seed respreading to the cleared areas. We are hoping to do another session lower down Rocklands Road in the autumn. Everybody is welcome and no experience is necessary."
Over the last two years, the Clifton Weedbusters have made good progress toward control by persistent eradication, and TDC biosecurity officer Ken Wright said he was very impressed with the group's efforts.
"Networking and working together has been quite a good approach to this problem and the group has done a very good job. Especially on the smaller properties they've pretty much got on top of it, but those with bigger properties also have a bigger problem. On those larger properties, which have some beautiful bush on them, it can be quite a daunting exercise. It requires landowners to put aside a budget for pest control and to progressively work away at the problem. And progressive suits the category of the pest."
When TDC's pest strategy was renewed in July 2007, Golden Bay residents pressed for the status of banana passion vine to be reviewed. The creeper was finally categorised as a progressively controlled weed, a requirement for having it controlled in this area. Its status indicates that the weed is unlikely to be eradicated due to its seeding ability, yet it is feasible to reduce its density by ongoing control.
Mr Wright has written to all the landowners to get their support, but said that absentee landowners with a hands-off approach could be a great source of frustration.
The Golden Bay climate and rich limestone soil encourages the plants' development. The vigorous climbers can reach several metres in height and are capable of smothering forest margins and forest regrowth with their dense growth of leafy vines. Small banana passionfruit plants can be hand pulled, but chemical control may be required. DOC and TDC support the weedbuster group and DOC ranger Nigel Mountfort will co-ordinate the teams on the day. DOC has received funding under the Regional Pest Management Strategy for pest control in The Grove.
Biodiversity manager Hans Stoffregen said, "We have funding to do banana passionfruit vine control on our patch so that we can work in with all our neighbours. We are happy to assist the neighbours with technical advice on how to address the pest problems on their land. It is great that the Clifton Weedbusters are hitting the problem right on the head."
The Clifton Weedbusters group and all those happy to help will meet at 1pm at the letter boxes on Upper Rocklands Road. Please bring your own tools. Contact Chris Rowse for queries at 525 8588.
Ina Holst
