Remove gorse with force… of course, of course
Last week the TLC’s first permanent reserve, Long Point, had segments of it set ablaze as part of our extensive weed control efforts, which incorporates planned burns as just one method of control in our overall approach.
TLC staff and contractors burnt 15 hectares of gorse, an incredibly invasive and robust weed, in an attempt to control its spread. Gorse is listed as a problematic plant species on the Weeds of National Significance (WoNS) list by the federal government, with the list ranking weeds based on invasiveness, impacts, potential for spread, and socioeconomic and environmental values. Inclusion on this list means that it is critical to control its impact, especially in Tasmania where it is most rampant.
Planned burning at Long Point Reserve
Our Reserves Manager, Denna Kingdom, coordinated the burn and said that fire, as a property management tool, has been used by farmers to control gorse for decades but that it doesn’t actually kill adult plants.
“We’ll be back here next summer and autumn to control any mature plants that re-sprout and kill any seedlings that come up.
“Fire germinates the seeds that lie dormant in the soil and so, if follow up treatment isn’t undertaken, the weed problem becomes much, much worse,” she said.
This burn will allow our staff, volunteers and contractors to get into areas that were previously impenetrable due to the volume of gorse, whilst simultaneously stimulating the gorse seed bank, which will be treated next year.
In addition, we’re undertaking scientific monitoring in both burnt and unburnt areas of gorse to determine the effectiveness of fire in long-term gorse control programs. Results of this research will be shared with the community to ensure that others can make informed decisions when applying their weed management approach.
TLC has been very fortunate to secure grant funding from the Tasmanian Landcare Association’s Biodiversity Grants recently, which will assist in funding weed control at Long Point until 2015. Glamorgan-Spring Bay Council and NRM South also provided grant funding to assist with the development of a fire management plan for Long Point Reserve.
A 'before & after' shot which will form part of our monitoring program.
