Roadside weed management

Weeds pose a serious threat to local agriculture, local economies and our native plants and animals.

Loddon Shire Council's Roadside Management Plan (Goal 3) describes these challenges and our commitment to reducing the threat of weeds through our annual weed control program (see link under related information on this page).

The program involves the control of weeds on Council-owned or managed roadsides and reserves.  Our priorities when allocating our annual weed control budget are:

• Providing environmental and cultural values
• Supporting adjacent land uses, such as agriculture
• Fire prevention and emergency management
• Providing for utility construction and maintenance.

Invasive plants and animals threaten biodiversity by competing for natural resources and the loss of habitat for native species. Invasive plants can also displace native species and provide harbor for invasive animals (NCCMA 2013). They also present threats to primary production, recreation and amenity in Loddon Shire.

All land managers and members of the community have a role to play in controlling weeds in the Shire.  The Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA) through Agriculture Victoria takes the lead role for invasive plant and animal management on most private land in the state, while Parks Victoria works with the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA), other land managers, land owners and community groups to manage weeds in parks.

Under the Catchment and Land Protection Act 1994 (CaLP Act), Council as a land manager has a legal responsibility to take all reasonable steps to eradicate regionally prohibited weeds and prevent the growth and spread of regionally controlled weeds in its own parks and reserves, and this includes roadsides.

The roadside weed control program has been made possible through Local Government Victoria through it's Roadside Weeds and Pest Management Program. The program provides funding to Councils to plan and implement control activities for the long-term management of prohibited and restricted weeds and pests on rural roadsides.