Land holders use drones to tackle weeds

A LARGE spray drone generated lots of interest at a series of weed control workshops delivered by South Gippsland Landcare Network (SGLN), the Victorian Blackberry Taskforce (VBTF), Envirogain, South Gippsland Shire Council (SGSC) and Agriculture Victoria earlier this month.

More than 90 people attended the three workshops, which were part of SGLN’s Your Backyard, Our Backyard project.

The workshops focused on blackberry, ragwort and thistles which landholders are required by law to control, and many environmental weeds such as hemlock, ivy and boxthorn also made an appearance. 

Correct identification of weeds is the first step in determining the most efficient way to control them.

All attendees received the perfect companions to weed ID and control in the form of SGLN’s Weed Control Cycle brochure, and the VBTF’s highly informative WONS Blackberry Control manual.

You can request a copy of each by emailing info@sgln.net.au.

Contractors from Envirogain demonstrated a range of different control methods that landholders can use as part of an integrated weed control plan, while council discussed SGSC’s roadside pest plant program. 

To this end, 20 landholders are being given the opportunity through the Your Backyard, My Backyard project to develop a weed control plan with an SGLN officer. Resources to assist all landholders develop their own weed control plan will be available at www.sgln.net.au in the near future.

South Gippsland Landcare Network’s Your Backyard, Our Backyard project is funded by SGSC’s Community Grants Program.

For further information on weed control visit, agriculture.vic.gov.au/ or vicblackberrytaskforce.com.au/ 

The Your Backyard, Our Backyard project is supported by the South Gippsland Shire Council; Victorian Blackberry Taskforce; and the West Gippsland Catchment Management Authority.