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What is a weed?

A weed is a plant growing where it is not wanted: Couch in a couch lawn is not a weed, but once it spreads into the garden it is a weed.

Weeds are often grouped by where they are growing. e.g. Pasture weeds, lawn weeds, water weeds, environmental weeds, etc.

Sometimes they are grouped by their origin Garden escapes, natives, exotics, etc.

Plants often become weeds because the spread rapidly, out-compete other plants, are prolific seeders and are invasive.

Weeds cost the Australian community in excess of $3 billion dollars annually.

Over two thirds of our weeds were introduced legally for ornamental purposes. Every year at least 12 new species become naturalised somewhere in Australia. Of these, at least four become significant or major weeds.

Weeds are a problem because they have one or more of the following undesirable properties: They out-compete other species, are harmful to stock or humans, taint or contaminate produce, cause allergies, increase fire hazards, interfere with agricultural practices, cause or encourage soil erosion, look unsightly.

What is a Noxious Weed?

A noxious weed is a plant declared to be noxious by the relevant State Minister, in NSW it is the Minister for Agriculture.

(Note: each state has their own system of declaration)

The term "Noxious Weed" is often confused with obnoxious weeds. Quite often noxious weeds have thorns or are toxic and can be referred to as being obnoxious.

Weeds may be declared noxious for the whole of the State, for a region or regions, for a local government area or for part of an area.

Before a weed is declared to be noxious, it must meet certain criteria, and the community must be consulted about the proposed declaration. It must meet the following criteria:

Need - The weed has, or could have, serious adverse effects on agriculture, the environment, or human health
Benefit - A significant benefit to agriculture, the environment, or the community can be expected from declaration
Means - There are reasonable and enforceable means available to control the weed as categorised
Intent - There is a firm intention by the Local Control Authority, or the Government, to implement a planned program to control the weed as categorised
Weed Distribution - The weed does not occur in NSW, or is of limited distribution and has the potential to become more widespread.
Outcome - For a species to remain categorised, the Local Control Authority must maintain an effective control program.
Declaration of a weed can impose considerable costs on public and private landholders and Local Control Authority. Declaration may also restrict personal freedom by forcing landholders to carry out activities which they would not otherwise carry out. There must be a clear public benefit from the proposed declaration.

Noxious Weed Categories

At the time of declaring a weed to be noxious, the Minister assigns a control category to the weed. Occupiers of land must take the action appropriate to that weed to ensure compliance with the declaration

The following Control Categories apply to weeds in the Far North Coast Weeds district

W1 = The presence of these weeds on land (or on/in water) must be reported to the Local Control Authority, and the weed must be fully and continuously suppressed and destroyed

W2 = The weed must be fully and continuously suppressed and destroyed

W3 = The weed must be prevented from spreading and its numbers and distribution reduced

W4 = The action specified in the declaration must be taken in respect of these weeds

W4(b) = The weed must not be sold, propagated or knowing distributed and any existing weed must be prevented from flowering and fruiting

W4d = The Weed: must not be sold, propagated or knowingly distributed; and

(b) must be fully and continuously suppressed and destroyed unless it is:

listed on the State Heritage Register under the Heritage Act 1977;
listed for the preservation or protection as a heritage item under an Environmental Planing Instrument under the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979;
listed for preservation or protection in a Tree Preservation Order of the council for the Local Government Area;
included for preservation or protection in a Plan of Management for a local government area under section 40 of the Local Government Act 1993; or
included for preservation or protection in a noxious weeds control policy or a noxious weed control program approved by the local control authority for the area for which it is the local control authority."

The W4(d) declaration applies to Copmanhurst, Kyogle, Richmond Valley and Lismore Council areas and that part of Ballina Council area south of the Bruxner highway

W4(f) = Shall not be sold, propagated or knowingly distributed., Any biological control, or other program directed by the local control authority must be implemented.

W4(g) = The weed must not be sold, propagated or knowingly distributed.

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