A Northern Territory Government survey into buffel grass management in the Territory is now open for public input.
Buffel grass in the Northern Territory. Image source: NT Govt
In July 2024, buffel grass was formally declared a weed under section 7(1) of the Northern Territory Weeds Management Act 2001.
In June 2024 the Weed Management Branch and the Buffel Grass Weed Advisory Committee developed a strategy for the management of buffel grass in Central Australia in agreed priority areas: Buffel Grass Management Strategy: Central Australia 2024 – 2030.
A media release from the NT Government said it committed last year to provide $750 000 annually to improve buffel grass management. This included employing two additional Alice Springs based staff to co-ordinate management activities and provide support to landholders across Central Australia.
Manager Planning and Science Weed Management Branch, Roni Opden said the management activities include mapping and monitoring methods for buffel grass and the identification of priority areas for management.
“Priority areas are recognised where buffel grass poses the greatest risk to biodiversity and cultural and community values due to its competitiveness and contribution to fire fuel loads,” Ms Opden said.
“We need to ensure landowners and managers in priority areas are able to manage buffel grass. This includes on Parks and Reserves, transport corridors, funding Aboriginal ranger groups in Indigenous Protected Areas, resourcing and assisting Landcare groups with community-led projects, and supporting private landholders through access to free herbicide and equipment loans.”
The buffel grass team has initially focused on developing capacity to support the community to manage buffel on the lands where they live and work. Landholders and land managers are encouraged to contact the Weed Management Branch on 8951 9227 or email weedinfo@nt.gov.au for support to manage buffel grass.
A statutory Weed Management Plan is also being developed, which will provide additional details as to how buffel grass is to be managed and regulated in the Northern Territory. To assist in the development of this plan the Weed Management Branch is seeking public input into buffel grass management via a Have Your Say survey: Have Your Say Northern Territory.
The draft Weed Management Plan will be advertised for public comment prior to it being finalised.
Source: NT Government media release
Well said Russell. The value of our northern beef industry would be much lower if it weren’t for the introduction of buffel grass into our grazing systems. Likewise, there would be far greater erosion evident on these landscapes in the absence of this highly productive and resilient pasture species. Good luck to anyone (including governments) who want to remove buffel grass from their grazing land or state/territory.
Buffel grass is what ecologists call a successional species. This means it is a high nitrogen demanding plant. The best way to increase nitrogen availability (for plants) in soil is to cultivate or otherwise disturb the soil structure. Buffel is also highly resilient to burning and I am not aware of any herbicide that is specific to buffel grass alone, or one that would not also kill co-habiting native herbaceous plants.
In the 1980’s Queensland’s National Parks service was concerned that buffel grass was invading the Epping Forest NP, NW of Clermont. This park was established to protect and hopefully enhance the last known population of the critically endangered northern hairy nosed wombat. There were about 60-70 animals remaining at that time. The Qld DPI (now DAF) was asked to help monitor the vegetation dynamics in the area of the wombat burrows. Lo & behold the more the buffel grass increased in this reserve the wombat population also increased, such that it was possible to transfer animals to new back-up reserves established in the St George district of southern Qld. Total population now exceeds 400 individuals. Excluding predators and livestock from these reserves no doubt also helped the wombat population to increase.
But certainly, the availability of buffel grass for the wombat’s diet in these semi-arid systems has been of enormous benefit to their survival. Click on the following reference in your browser: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ece3.10469 . I would be surprised if similar studies did not produce like results if undertaken for a wide range of other grass eating marsupials in the drier regions of Northern Australia (including the Northern Territory) – where buffel grass is now essentially a naturalised component of our vegetation.
Hi
Buffel grass seed was introduced into Australia via the Afghan camels which were released into Central Australia more than 60 years ago.
We produced some of the first commercial quantities of American Buffel Grass and later Biloela Buffel grass seed available from 1960’s to about 2000 at our property in Central Queensland.
During this period, I have witnessed the transition of the cattle grazing country in Queensland, NSW, SA and NT from poor natural grasses with poor stocking rates and cattle dying in poor times to the thriving pastures which support our fantastic beef industry.
Buffel grass, Green Panic and Rhodes grass planted with a long-term legume like Seca Stylo produces the best pasture available for the lower rainfall areas which produces most of the beef which feeds these people with little knowledge of where beef actually comes from.
Where are they moving to next on their weed list Green Panic or Rhodes Grass?
For all my farming years I have witnessed plenty of natural wildlife eating Buffel Grass in preference to the naturally occurring grass species.
A true predator weed, couch grass is taking over thousands of acres of country reducing stocking rates, but we do not here about this problem.
The focus of these groups should be on true weeds that actually harm and reduce pasture quality for the beef industry, such as Parthenium or some cactus varieties.
Parthenium a true weed of significance, in my farming years has spread from the garden to the paddock and takes over your country. Parthenium which can kill cattle has spread thru out the Queensland countryside and now into Northern NSW.
There is not enough chemical in Australia to contain this true weed now that it has got away because people did not control it when they should have.
Support the fight against this nieve proposal to reduce our great beef industry.
Russell Wells
Central Queensland