Managing the impact of lantana on biodiversity: a national challenge
Lantana (Lantana camara) poses a major threat to biodiversity. A recent report by the Weeds Cooperative Research Centre found that 96 species listed under the NSW Threatened Species Conservation Act are at risk from lantana invasion. Although this number is significantly higher than previous estimates, it is an underestimate of the threat lantana poses as the report only examined threatened species in NSW. It did not examine species not listed as threatened and lantana is also a major problem in Queensland, and is also present in most other states of Australia.
Given the threat posed by lantana to biodiversity, it was recently listed as a Key Threatening Process under the Threatened Species Conservation Act in NSW. The threat to biodiversity contributed to lantana being listed as a one of the 20 Weed of National Significance (WoNS).
DECC and Biosecurity Queensland are jointly developing a national plan to abate, ameliorate or eliminate the threat posed by lantana to biodiversity. This project, funded through the Defeating the Weed Menace Programme, will establish national conservation priorities for the control of lantana, based on the approach outlined in the Bitou Bush Threat Abatement Plan.
The main aim of this national plan is to minimise the impact of lantana on biodiversity by:
- developing a strategic framework for targeting lantana control to areas where the biodiversity benefits will be the greatest
- developing and promoting best practice management
- monitoring the effectiveness of control programs in terms of the recovery of threatened biodiversity
- fostering community education, involvement and awareness
- identifying and filling knowledge gaps where possible.
Developing a national strategy
In order to develop the national strategy several major tasks need to be completed:
- map the distribution of lantana in NSW and Queensland
- determine the biodiversity at risk from lantana
- assess sites for control and determine priorities
- prepare the plan
Once the plan has been prepared the project will be implemented at priority sites.
How you can be involved
You can participate in the development and implementation of this project by attending workshops, informing us of species you think are at risk from lantana, mapping the distribution of lantana in your area and working at a priority sites to control lantana and save native species. If you would like to be involved please contact us.
Contents
- Mapping the distribution of lantana in NSW and Queensland
- Standard categories for mapping lantana distribution and density
- Determining the biodiversity at risk from lantana invasion
- Workshops to determine the biodiversity at risk from lantana
- Interim list of biodiversity identified as at risk from lantana invasion
- Reviewing the interim list of species at risk
- Exotic species associated with lantana
- Selecting sites for the conservation of biodiversity
- Preparing a plan to reduce the impact of lantana on biodiversity
- Implementation
- Presentations and Key Publications