Murrindindi Shire Council's annual Rural Roadside Weed Control Program is now underway, thanks to funding from the Victorian Government's Roadside Weed and Pest Program.
The Program aims to protect the natural environment and biodiversity of our roadsides from invasive weeds. Management of woody weeds also reduces fuel loads on our roadsides to help with fire prevention.
In line with the Victorian Government's funding criteria, the Program will focus on Municipal Roadside Reserves and is targeting Regionally Prohibited Weeds (such as Ragwort) and Regionally Controlled Weeds (such as Blackberry). Management methods include spot spraying and 'cut and paint' techniques.
Council prioritises which rural roadsides will receive weed control based on different factors, including available budget, the conservation value of roadside vegetation and habitat, level of threat posed by specific weeds, risk to neighbouring agricultural properties and significant conservation areas, community and agency efforts, and Council's previous investment in managing Regionally Controlled Weeds on roadsides.
The funding Council receives from the Victorian Government is equally supplemented by our existing budget and was secured via a competitive grant application made by Council. Council also allocates funding towards the management of undeclared weeds on our roadsides, and in reserves and bushland, including Holly, Ivy, Honeysuckle, Spanish Heath, and Prunus, to name a few.
Contractors will be carrying out weed control activities on roadsides from December through to March. Motorists are urged to be mindful of these works, pay attention to and follow traffic signage advice and reduce speed, where required, when travelling around the Shire.
