Pest animals and weeds

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Invasive species are one of the greatest threats to biodiversity in Australia. In NSW, pest animals and weeds have been identified as a threat to 70% of the species, populations or ecological communities listed under the NSW Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995. This is second only to clearing of native vegetation in terms of the number of species impacted.

Pest animals displace native species through predation and competition, and devastate threatened vegetation by grazing and trampling. Weeds smother native plants or cover the ground so there is no room for biodiversity to thrive. Pest animals and weeds also cause financial losses to agriculture and other industries and damage areas of cultural significance.

The NSW Invasive Species Plan provides the framework for the coordinated management of pest animals and weeds that occur over varying land tenure and will guide invasive species management in NSW to 2015. Industry & Investment NSW (formerly the NSW Department of Primary Industries) is the lead agency for this plan. DECCW is a key partner in its implementation and has a lead role for pest threats to the environment.

The NSW Invasive Species Plan has four goals:

• prevent the establishment of new invasive species
• eliminate or prevent the spread of new invasive species
• reduce the impacts of widespread invasive species
• ensure NSW has the ability and commitment to manage invasive species.

Actions identified in the Plan have been developed specifically to align with the reporting requirements for the NSW Natural Resources Monitoring, Evaluation and Reporting Strategy and the State of the Environment Report.

The NSW Department of Environment, Climate Change and Water (DECCW) manages pest animals and weeds on its estate (such as national parks and nature reserves), and also develops and implements strategies for invasive species that threaten biodiversity. DECCW pest animal and weed management is focused in areas where native animals and plants are the most threatened, other park values are affected, or where pests and weeds are likely to affect neighbouring lands.

Pest and weed management on DECCW estate is coordinated through:

• the NSW Threatened Species Priorities Action Statement
• threat abatement plans such as the Fox TAP and the Bitou TAP
• regional weed management priorities for biodiversity conservation
• regional pest strategies and other management plans.

For detailed information on controlling pests and weeds on DECCW estate, see Protecting our national parks from pest and weeds.