A weed is a plant that needs you to take action to stop it negatively affecting the environment, the economy, your health or how you are able to access your land.
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Unfortunately Australia has a less than proud history of weed introductions with well over 2500 different plant species being introduced one way or another over the last 150 or so years.
Many of our worst weeds were brought into Australia deliberately because they are interesting or useful.
Neem trees were introduced because of the insecticidal properties of the oil in their fruit and seed.
The mimosa that infests floodplains across the Top End was introduced into the Darwin Botanic Gardens as an interesting ornamental plant. Its leaflets close up when you touch them.
Gamba grass is another plant that was introduced for a purpose and is now proving to be a real problem. It is huge, and its fuel load produces fires that are more intense than those associated with any native grass.
Originally introduced into the NT as a highly palatable cattle fodder in the 1930's gamba grass was planted throughout pastoral and agricultural areas.
Unfortunately the qualities that made it such a fantastic resource for pastoralists have made it a highly invasive weed that is having a devastating effect on ecosystems across Northern Australia.
Gamba grass is now a declared weed meaning that if it is present on your patch you have a legal responsibility to manage it appropriately.
For much of the Northern Territory this means eradicating it completely from your land.
Some areas north of Katherine are in a 'Class B management zone'.
Landholders in these areas need to control the growth of gamba grass on their land and stop it spreading into surrounding areas.
Gamba is tough stuff. Its rapid growth, relative drought tolerance, furry leaves and tall stature make it a difficult prospect for control but luckily there is help available.
If you have gamba grass on your patch make sure you get in touch with the Weed Management Branch. There's lots of advice along with free herbicide and equipment loans over the wet season from December through to March.
Check out www.nt.gov.au/gamba for all you need to know about tackling gamba grass on your patch.
- Clare Pearce is Katherine's senior district weeds officer.
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