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Biodiversitysymposium Battling Bridal Creeper in coastal dunes - a community approach Greg Lefoe1 and Sue Longmore: 'DepartmentofPrimaryIndustries,PrimaryIndustriesResearchVictoria,Frankston3199 Email:[email protected] -SwanBayIntegratedCatchmentManagementCommittee,Queenscliff,3225 Abstract This paperexamines whethera community-basedapproach to the biological control (biocontrol) of Bridal Creeper Asparagus asparagoides L. Druce can be effective in reducing the impact ofthe weed. Bridal Creeper is a serious threat to native vegetation on Victoria's Bellarine Peninsula. In many situations, such as occurs at Buckley Park Foreshore Reserve, Bridal Creepercan bedifficult tfoorceonstereonlwaistahopurtiosreirtiyo.usAofmfo-tdaerlgetfodraamacgoem.mIumnpilteym-ebnatsiendgbtihoecboinotcroonltrporloogfraBmridwaalsCraedeoppetredisotnherteh-e Peninsulato facilitatethe spread and impactofbiocontrol agents. Theprogram hasrequired a close collaboration between researchers, land managers, and community groups, including local schools. Asaresultofthe program biocontrolagentshavebeenreleasedat46 siteson theBellarinepeninsu- la. Twoagents in particularare now spreadingandcausingvisibledamageto bridal creeperinfesta- tions. The program has demonstrated the important role biocontrol can play in the integrated man- agementofawidespreadenvironmentalweed,andprovidesastrongbasis forfuturecollaborationat alocal level inweedmanagementissues.(TheVictorianNaturalist124^(2),2007, 106-109) Introduction The Bellarine Peninsula is located adjacent Buckley Park Foreshore Reserve is a to Port Phillip Bay, Victoria. A major unique location consisting ofan extensive threatto native vegetation in the area is the sand dune and coastal vegetation system invasive introduced plant Bridal Creeper with populations ofvegetation communi- Asparagus asparagoides L. Druce, listed ties with rare and vulnerable conservation by the Commonwealth government as one status within the Geelong/Barwon Coast oftwenty Weeds ofNational Significance Region and Victoria. The reserve is also (WoNS) (Thorpeand Lynch2000). Above- rich in both European and Indigenous ground parts of the plant can smother Australian history further adding to the native vegetation during the autumn-spring valueofthereserve. growing season. Although the above- The reserve occupies approximately 5 kms ground parts of the plant senesce during offoreshore and coastal dunes between the summer, dense underground matscompris- townships of Ocean Grove and Point ing rhizomes and storage tubers may pre- Lonsdale, Victoria, and is managed by the vent seedling recruitment throughout the City ofGreater Geelong, on behalfofthe year (Raymond 1999). Community groups Department of Sustainability and and local schools on the Bellarine Environment. Adjacent land managers Peninsula have combined with government include the Barwon Coast Committee of agencies and land managers to facilitate Management and Borough ofQueenscliff, the implementation of biological control. as well as numerous private landowners This paper examines the effectiveness of (C.D.A. and W.E. 2005). The reserve com- the collaboration in implementing biocon- prises two Ecological Vegetation Classes trol of Bridal Creeper, highlighting (EVCs) in the Otway Plain Bioregion: (i) Buckley Park Foreshore Reserve as an Coastal Dune Scrub/Coastal Dune example of a significant Bellarine Grassland Mosaic (EVC 1) and (ii) Coastal Peninsulasitethreatened bythe weed. Alkaline Scrub/Calcarenite Dune Wood- land (EVC 858). The draft Buckley Park Buckley Park Foreshore Reserve Coastal Management Plan (C.D.A. and CAocacsotarldiMnagnatgoemtehentdrPalfatn B(uCcDkAleayndPaWrEk W.E. 2005) lists five significant plant com- munities in the reserve, each ofwhich is 2005): threatened by invasive plants. Bridal 106 The Victorian Naturalist Biodiversitysymposium Creeperis the mostprevalent invasiveplant for research agencies to work closely with infourofthefivelistedplantcommunities. land managers and community groups to maximise the impact of biocontrol. Managing Bridal Creeper on the Holland-Clift and Kwong (2004) proposed Bellarine Peninsula a model for a community-based biocontrol Controlling Bridal Creeperin areas such as program with clearly defined research and Buckley Park Foreshore Reserve is diffi- extension requirements, and a phased cult as manual removal of large infesta- approach to the development and delivery tions is extremely labour intensive, and of biocontrol. This is the model largely herbicide controls have potential for seri- adopted on the Bellarine Peninsula. As a ous off-target damage. Even when infesta- result, at least 34 leafhopper releases, and tsiisotn;sTuarrenecronettraoll.l(e2d0,06t)u,befrormeaxtasmpmlaey, epsetri-- r1e1corrudsetdfounngtuhse rBeellleaarsiensenPoenwinhsauvlae ubpeetno mated that 50 years after Bridal Creeper is 2006 (Longmore 2005, unpubl. data). killed up to 35% ofthe below-ground bio- There has been only one release ofthe leaf mass ofthe plant may remain. Biological beetle on the Bellarine Peninsula, at control agents such as the rust fungus Edwards Point. However, establishment at Puccinia myrsiphvlla (Thuem.) may act as that site is not yet confirmed. The model a nutrient sink, and help to deplete tuber proposed by Holland-Clift and Kwong reserves (Morin et al. 2006). Biological (2004) comprisesthefollowingphases: control is, therefore, seen as an important part of the integrated management of 1. Selectingsitesforbiocontrol bridal creeper. Local knowledge is necessary to select sites suitable for biocontrol and to ensure Biological control ofBridal Creeper in biocontrol is integrated with local weed Australia management strategies. This works best Research into the biocontrol of Bridal where biocontrol researchers work closely Creeper was initiated in the late 1980s with local groups and land managers to (Scott and Kleinjan 1991). One pathogen provide guidance and advise on site selec- and two insects have been approved for tion (Holland-Clift and Kwong 2004). In release in Australia since 1999 (Morin et the case ofBuckley Park, local knowledge al. 2006). They are, in order of approval: offactors such as the severityofthe Bridal (i) the leafhopper Zygina sp. in 1999, (ii) Creeper infestation, potential for off-target therustfungusP. myrsiphvlla in 2000, and herbicide damage, and access difficulties, (iii) the leafbeetle Crioceris sp. in 2002. led to the reserve being identified as a pri- Approvaltoreleasethese biocontrol agents orityforbiocontrol. followed extensive testing by CSIRO that demonstrated the agents are specific to 2. Releasingbiocontrol agents bridal creeper (Morin et al. 2006). In Trainingandextension activities are essen- Victoria, the Department of Primary tial in the early stages of implementing Industries (DPI) has conducted widespread biocontrol. This ensures local groups and releases ofthe leafhopper and rust fungus land managers acquire the skills and across the State (Morin et al. 2006). The knowledge to continue, and even expand, leafhopper and rust fungus have estab- programs once they commence. On the lished at mostrelease sites and are dispers- Bellarine Peninsula the support of DPI ing naturally (Holland-Clift and Kwong officers was critical for the subsequent 2004; unpubl. data). The first release in success of the biocontrol program. For Victoria of the leaf beetle occurred at example, the initial releases ofleafhoppers Coolart in March, 2005, and it has been and rust fungus at Buckley Park Foreshore released subsequently atjust eight loca- Reserve were made by DPI officers to tions in the State (Morin et al. 2006; maximise the likelihood ofestablishment. unpubl. data). However, the opportunity was taken to involve the land manager, community Implementing biological control ofBridal group representatives, and school groups CreeperontheBellarinePeninsula (through DPI’s Weed Warriors school pro- Once a biocontrol agent is approved for gram). This involvement included on-site release in Australia,there is an opportunity Vol. 124 (2) 2007 107 Biodiversitysymposium demonstrations and participation in release desire to have trained biocontrol officers techniques, discussion ofagent and weed conducting and monitoring releases; (ii) biology, and training in methods to collect the requirement to conduct as many suc- and redistribute the agent once it became cessful releases as possible over a wide established. area, usually within a specified funding period; and (iii) the need to gain support 3. Monitoringreleasesites for biocontrol from land managers and the Once agents become widespread it is often broadercommunity. difficult for DPI officers to adequately Buckley Park Foreshore Reserve pro- monitor the establishment, spread, and vides an example ofall four phases being impact ofbiocontrol agents at all release successfully implemented, with the reserve sites. Community involvement in monitor- now being used for biocontrol demonstra- ing sites is therefore important, but has tions and training, and as a source of rust limitations. Community groups should not fungus and leafboppers for redistribution be asked to collect detailed technical data, to new sites. In addition, a new technique as the demands on time may be unrealistic for the widespread release of rust fungus and the quality ofthe data may vary con- was trialled inthree areas on the Peninsula, siderably (Holland-Cliftand Kwong2004). including Buckley Park Foreshore However, community groups on the Reserve, in 2006. This new method, called Bellarine Peninsula have made a valuable spore-water (a mixture of rust fungus contribution by monitoringagent establish- spores and rainwater) allows land man- ment and spread using simple measures agers to inoculate large areas of bridal developed in collaboration with creeper using conventional spray equip- researchers. In Buckley Park Foreshore ment (Overton and Overton 2006), includ- tRheeseCrivtey,oafnGorenagtoeirngGeceollolnagbo,raBtairownobnetCwoeaesnt Aienrgiaaelriaaplplaipcpaltiicoantioofntehqeuriupsmtenfutng(Fuisg.ma1y). Committee of Management, Swan Bay be useful particularly for infestations that Integrated Catchment Management are difficult to access from the ground, Committee, and volunteers from the such as occurs in much of Buckley Park Friends ofBuckley Park, has allowed quite ForeshoreReserve. detailed data on agent establishment and In addition to recorded release sites, there spreadto becollectedoverseveral years. are likely to be more releases by members 4. Redistributing biocontrol agents once ofthe local community that have not been recorded. The CSIRO, for example, main- they areestablished In their case study. Holland-Clift and tains an interactive web-site that allows the Kwong (2004) found 100% establishment general public to locate release sites in their of biocontrol agents at new sites when area (www.ento.csiro.au/weeds/bridal redistribution occurred from a nearby creeper/). This web-site and others (i.e. www.weeds.org.au/WoNS/bridalcreeper/, established site, and was accompanied by training and demonstration of collection and release techniques. Holland-Clift and Kwong (2004) concluded it is this phase where community groups, with proper sci- entific and technical support, can make the greatest impact in a biocontrol program. They stressed though that ‘some element ofcommunity participation throughout the previous three phases also is necessary in order to select appropriate sites and to refine release and monitoringprotocols rel- evant to the community members’ skills and knowledge’ (Holland-Clift and Kwong 2004). In this way a compromise can be Fig. 1. Helicopter application of ‘spore-water’ reached between: (i) the research agency’s a2t00B6u.cPkhloetyo:PaGrrkegFoLreefsoheo.re Reserve, September 108 The Victorian Naturalist Biodiversitysymposium www.dpi.vic.gov.au, and www.weeds. and Environment, Corangamite Catchment crc.org.au) also provide detailed informa- Management Authority, and the Natural tion on Bridal Creeper management and HeritageTrust. biologicalcontrol. References Contour Design Australia (CDA) and Wychwood Conclusion Environmental (WE) (2005) Draft Buckley Park The model for community involvement CoastalManagementPlan.(ContourDesignAustralia andWychwoodEnvironmental:Melbourne) adopted on the Bellarine Peninsula has Holland-Clift S and Kwong RM (2004) Community enabled many more biocontrol releases to involvementinbiologicalcontrol:towardsthedevel- be conducted against Bridal Creeper than opment of an improved evaluation model. Proceedings ofthe 14th Australian Weeds Confer- would have been possible ifDPI were act- ence, eds BM Sindel and SB Johnson, pp. 631-635. ing with limited collaboration. The extent (WeedSocietyofNewSouthWales:WaggaWagga) of the releases, and the success of the Longmore S (2005) Bridal Creeper Biocontrol Report 2005. Swan Bay Integrated CatchmentManagement agents in establishing and spreading from Committee,Queenscliff(unpublished) release sites, have provided a positive Morin L, Neave M, Batchelor K and Reid A (2006) experience ofbiocontrol for the individu- Biological control: a promising tool formanaging bridal creeper,Asparagus asparagoides L. (Druce), lalesa,fhgorpopueprs,anadndrusstchfouonlgsus,infvoorlveexda.mpTlhee, OvienrtAuosntrBaliaan.dPlOavnetrtPornotDect(i2o0n06Q)uaTrhteerldyev2e1l,o6p9m-e7n7t. of are now causing visible damage to Bridal b'rspiodrael-wactreere’peonrKraunsgtarfouongIussl.andPfloarnrtapPidrostperceatdioonf pCrreoegprearmohnasthdeemBoenlsltarrianteedPetnhiensiumlpao.rtTahnet RaQyuamrotenrdly2K1L,77(-7189.99) Ecology of Asparagus asparagoides (bridal creeper), an environmental role biocontrol can play in the integrated weed ofsouthern Australia. (Unpublished PhD the- management ofwidespread environmental sis,MonashUniversity) weeds, and provides a strong basis for Scott JK and Kleinjan CA (1991) Bridal creeper future collaborationata local level inweed (oMpymresnitphsyltlouwmaarsdpsaraitgsoibdieosl)oginicAaulstrcaolnitaroaln.ddPelvaenlt- managementissues. ProtectionQuarterly6. 116-119. Thorp JR and Lynch R (2000) The Determination of Acknowledgements Weeds ofNational Significance. (National Weeds Swan Bay Integrated Catchment Management StrategyExecutiveCommittee:Launceston) CEodmwmairttdese,PForiinetn,dsSowfaBnuckBlaeyyPaErnk,viFrrioennmdesnotf TubBrraniredrarilePrcJr,eteoSpcerore’tssttorrJoaKottiaosnny:dstteShmpe.afdPferoocrcodemepJdoaiscnigotsbiooHfn.thr(ea2t0e1056ot)hf Association, Bellarine Landcare Group, Friends Australian Weeds Conference, eds C Preston, JH ofPoint Richards, Barwon Coast Committee of Watts and ND Crossman, pp. 827-830 (Weed Management, City ofGreater Geelong, Parks Management Society ofSouth Australia Inc.: Victoria, Bellarine Secondary College, Adelaide) Queenscliff Primary School, St Leonards Primary School, Gordon TAFE, Department of Primary Industries, DepartmentofSustainability Received7December2006;accepted18January2007 One Hundred and TwentyYears Ago THE LOCUST PLAGUE. A CORRESPONDENT at Murtoa, in the Wimmera district, forwards the following notesonthis subject:- “They appear to be a bit dainty in their tastes, as they ate all the leaves offthe ‘Scothchthistles,’ butwouldnottouchthe so-called ‘sow thistles,’ which is somewhat fortunate, as stock are very fond ofthe latter. In passing through the crops they took the flagoffthewheat, andall thewild oats andwheat, sothat in several placesthereis nothing leftbutthe ears ofwheat on the tops ofbare stems, they cut offa few ears of wheat, butthey were in all cases those ofshorterand laterstraws; the others appearto havebeen toohard forthem.. From The VictorianNaturalist3 p. 131, February 1887. Vol. 124 (2) 2007 109