Leaseholders bungle weed management at Arm End

Media Release February 9th 2020

Media Release: Bungled weed management

Re-Imagine The End [RITE] has been calling for effective control of boxthorn in Arm End Reserve since the local community group formed in 2017. Since the lease was issued in 2014 thousands of young boxthorn have spread across most of the northern end of the reserve. There are hundreds of large boxthorn mainly along the Mary Ann Bay Derwent River coastline. Only token control has been attempted by the leaseholder before this season.

Re Imagine The End [RITE] said today that the Arm End Reserve lease holder is currently bungling weed management in the reserve and the state government must force them to do a proper job or revoke the lease. The weed control bungle adds to the further lack of progress, investment, permit complications and necessary approvals for use of effluent from Blackman's Bay.

RITE Spokesperson Robyn McNicol said that "this leaseholder has been ignoring its lease responsibilities for five years and has only acted recently after increased community pressure. But the boxthorn control is being bungled as the leaseholder rushes to make it look like it is taking care of the reserve."

Weed management contractors have been working at Arm End Reserve at OPossum Bay over recent days in response to community concerns regarding the rampant spread of the noxious weed boxthorn. 

Yesterday and today RITE members visited Arm End Reserve to monitor the weed control work and document the work with photographs. In Saturday's Mercury the leaseholder has stated that the fire that occurred on Friday was the result of an accident caused by the weed control machinery.

RITE's assessment of the weed control is:

- It cannot be assumed that the fire was in fact an accident and the circumstances that led to the fire should be investigated.

- A number of large boxthorn mainly on the Derwent River coastline have been mulched mechanically with the plant material left on site. While it is good to mulch these large boxthorn none of the plants on the Derwent River side of the reserve have been poisoned.

-In other parts of the reserve boxthorn plants have been cut 300 mm to 600mm from the root and the poisoned. It is highly unlikely these plants will take up poison into their roots and will regrow. Where the mulcher has been sprigs of boxthorn have been strewn across walking tracks causing a risk to dogs in particular and humans.

- Several hectares of the reserve containing thousands of young boxthorn have been slashed and this will not kill the boxthorn. These cut plants have been left on site to cause a hazard, The boxthorn will regrow again from their roots in Autumn.
- Boxthorn is known to provide habitat for penguins and these birds are known to visit the reserve. It is not known if a assessment of penguin use has occurred.

- Aboriginal middens have been being exposed by the machinery. To our knowledge no thorough Aboriginal assessment has been done.

In conclusion we recommend:
- We call on the Tasmanian Fire Service to investigate if the fire at Arm End Reserve was deliberately lit or caused by machinery. The TFS needs to determine if the leaseholder's contractor was adequately prepared to respond to an accidental fire and if the weed control methods contributed to the fire risk.
- That the Parks and Wildlife Service needs to order the leaseholder to followup this recent work to ensure every live plant is poisoned when plants start to regrow in Autumn.
- Sections of track need to be closed immediately until boxthorn is removed. Mulched boxthorn needs to be remove from the site to prevent it blowing on to tracks.

Register your interest in RITE’s campaign to protect Arm End from development, specifically the current golf course development and become a supporter of RITE to develop a strategic plan for Arm End that is inclusive and protects natural and cultural values. Submit a representation on the Act Now page on this website. Email us via the form below if you want to stay informed about events, actions and discovery days.

 ABOUT RITE

RITE is committed to developing an alternative vsion for Arm End which protects natural, recreational and cultural landscape values.  RITE consists of local residents, coastcare members, conservationists and UTAS professionals.  We liaise with stakeholders including individuals from the Tasmanian Aboriginal community, the Derwent Estuary Program, Local Authorities and Landcare. RITE is partnered with The Tasmanian Conservation Trust. RITE is founded by Robyn McNicol.

PHOTO CREDITS

RITE acknowledges and thanks Bill Warren and Rae Calvert for their photographs.