THE community is being asked for input into the control of the invasive neem weed following the release of a draft management plan by the Northern Territory government on March 20.
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Land Resource Management Minister Willem Westra van Holthe was in his Katherine electorate to discuss the draft plan and urged Katherine landholders to provide feedback as the government battles to control neem in the Top End.
“Neem is a highly-invasive weed that is starting to develop in some riparian areas of the Northern Territory, including the Katherine River,” he told the Katherine Times as he inspected a section of the riverbank with government weed management planner Susan King on Friday .
“The rapid spread of neem since its introduction in the NT in the 1940s is a threat to our native plant species.
“A large amount of control work has already been undertaken through the removal of mature trees and seedlings, particularly in Katherine.
“But there is still a lot of work to be done to control this weed, and we must all work together if we are to get on top of it.”
In 2014, neem was declared a Class B and Class C weed, meaning its growth and spread need to be controlled to prevent further introduction in the Territory.
Mr Westra van Holthe said the Department of Land Resource Management had undertaken trials for effective neem reduction.
Community consultation is open until April 17 and details are available by visiting lrm.nt.go.au/weeds.
