This year's annual bitou bush aerial spraying program is scheduled to begin on Monday, June 17 and run through to Friday, June 28 weather permitting.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Bitou bush is an environmental invader of beach dunes and headlands, altering native coastal ecosystems.
The program, a joint collaboration between MidCoast Council and the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS), specifically targets bitou bush (or Chrysanthemoides monilifera) a native to South Africa, which was widely planted in Australia in the 1950s and 60s to stabilise mined sand dunes.
However, in 1999 it was listed as a threatening plant species and is now a Weed of National Significance, impacting about 80 per cent or more than 900 kilometres of the NSW coastline.
The management of bitou bush aims to protect threatened plant species and endangered ecological communities that occur along the coastal strip.
- Terry Inkson
Several areas on the coastal strip within the Mid Coast local government area (LGA) will be treated, from Crowdy Head and south to Redhead.
The program will be carried out following recommendations contained in the Best Practice Guidelines for Aerial Spraying of Bitou Bush in New South Wales published by the Department of Environment and Conservation.
The guidelines are closely followed to ensure public safety and the areas treated are generally inaccessible to the public.
The activity is also undertaken at a time of year when beach use is low.
However, the teams will undertake measures to exclude any public exposure, such as closures of nearby public areas.
Sections of beaches and some adjacent camping areas, car parks and roads will be subject to short term temporary closures on the days when spraying occurs.
"Council staff will be on-site during closures, and signage will be in place to advise people," MidCoast Council strategic weeds biosecurity officer, Terry Inkson said.
"The management of bitou bush aims to protect threatened plant species and endangered ecological communities that occur along the coastal strip," Mr Inkson said.
"The aerial spraying of herbicides from helicopters is important as it allows us to treat steep or inaccessible sections of the coast, including remote stretches of beaches and headlands.
"The combined efforts of both council and NPWS over the past decade have seen a huge reduction of mature bitou bush in managed areas.
"However these ongoing treatments are necessary to control re-emerging juvenile plants and to bring previously unmanaged areas into the program."
For more information, contact MidCoast Council on 6591 7222 or NPWS on 6591 0300.
Stay ahead with local news by signing up for the Great Lakes Advocate newsletter here.
