Pest Plant and Animal Plans and Policies

What is a Pest Plant and Animal Management Plan?

Planning for management of pest plants and animals is an economic and environmental necessity. These plans are collaborative efforts between stakeholders to efficiently and effectively reduce impacts from Pest Plants or Pest Animals. Plans should include practical and cost effective measures to improve the management of individual issues as well as incorporate legislative requirements. Plans will provide direction and can give benchmarks for measuring improvement. Key components of a strategic animal and plant control plan should include early detection and rapid response as priority actions. Prevention of pest incursions is both more important and cheaper than controlling an existing infestation.

Pests are only pests when they occur where they are not desired. In order to determine pest status Natural Resources South East has completed a regional pest risk assessment which objectively analyses the impacts and threats of a wide range of pests to the south east. The results of this assessment have provided recommendations for appropriate management actions and has been used as the basis for regional pest policies which describe the level of control required on each pest species.

Why do we need Pest Plant and Animal Management Plans?

Pest plants and animals cost Australians billions per year, particularly in the agricultural sector. They are also one of the biggest threats to our unique biodiversity. Animal and Plant Control planning is vital in order to reduce impacts upon agricultural, pastoral and industrial endeavours as well as continuing to protect and sustain our precious native flora and fauna.

Some high priority pests may require individual property management plans to ensure actions are in place to achieve eradication. For example, Golden Dodder is the highest priority agricultural weed for the south east due to the threats it poses to the valuable small seed industry. Natural Resources South East has an active eradication program underway in conjunction with Lucerne Australia. Part of this program requires landholders to agree to an annual Dodder control plan with the Authorised Officer.