City Calls on Community to Work Together for Weed Control

As spring arrives and the weather warms up, the City of Joondalup is calling on the local community to help protect, preserve and enhance the urban and natural environments.

The City undertakes weed management to protect biodiversity and cultural values, reduce bushfire risk and damage to infrastructure, preserve the amenity, functionality and aesthetics of local areas.

A variety of new weed control methods have recently been implemented by the City in its public open spaces and urban landscaping, including steam and hot water along with WeedSeeker technology to reduce the use of chemicals in controlling weeds.

The City also encourages residents to control weeds on private property and remove them before they seed and spread.

Joondalup Mayor Albert Jacob said it is important for all in the community to work together to help beautify our natural surrounds.

“Weed management has long been and continues to be a key issue in the City’s public open spaces, urban streetscapes and urban landscapes,” Mayor Jacob said.

“The City’s integrated weed management approach prevents, monitors and controls the introduction and spread of weeds in the City to protect biodiversity and maintain the amenity and aesthetics of these areas.

“Several factors are taken into consideration when determining the appropriate weed control method, including the target weed, the season and timing, resistance of the weed to specific herbicides, potential residual effects and damage to off-target species, site location, weather conditions, effectiveness of outcomes, required labour intensity and costs involved.

“The overarching aim is to minimise the impact of invasive non-native plant species in different systems compared with a no-intervention scenario.

“While chemical weed control has been the most common method, the City is using steam and hot water technology within 50 metres of school zones, playspaces and hardstand areas in the Joondalup City Centre.

“The City now also uses WeedSeeker technology, which uses advanced optics to detect and target weeds.

“This is not just a responsibility of the City, we all have a role to play in combating the effects of weeds in our urban and natural environment whether it is residents, other government agencies, business partners or community groups.”

The City of Joondalup is an active member of the Western Australian Local Government Association Local Government Herbicide Use and Integrated Weed Management Working Group, whose purpose is to build the capacity of local government by sharing information and addressing knowledge gaps.

The Working Group helps local governments make informed decisions on weed management approaches that are most suitable for their local context.

For more information on the City’s Weed Management Plan, visit joondalup.wa.gov.au.