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September 8, 2010
To: The Hon Premier of Victoria John Brumby
CC: The Hon Minister for the Environment Gavin Jennings, ISC Invasive Species Council
[ YOUR COMMENTS WILL APPEAR HERE ]
I write to express my great concern about Tall Wheat Grass and other invasive plants promoted for salinity control in Victoria.
The impacts of weed invasion are far worse than those of salinity, so governments should not be promoting and allowing the use of weeds for salinity control.
According to the Victorian Government’s modeling, Tall Wheat Grass could invade more than half of Victoria. It is a grave threat to Victoria’s saltmarshes and wetlands, and numerous threatened species.
I request the Victorian Government to ban the further sale of Tall Wheat Grass and declare it a noxious weed as soon as possible.
There are also other high-risk weeds being promoted and new weedy breeds being developed for release with no requirements for assessment of their risk.
The example of Tall Wheat Grass shows that current laws and policies are failing to protect the environment and agriculture from unsafe use of exotic plants.
I request reform of State laws to require that only low-risk plant species and cultivars be released, introduced into new regions or promoted by governments.
I look forward to your response about how your government intends to stop the spread of Tall Wheat Grass and reform laws to prevent further unsafe introductions.
Yours sincerely,
[Your name and address will be included here]
To: The Hon Minister for the Environment, Heritage and the Arts Peter Garrett
CC: ISC Invasive Species Council
I write to express my great concern about invasive plants promoted for salinity control in southern Australia and to request you to use your powers to better protect biodiversity from the deliberate spread of dangerous weeds.
The impacts of weed invasion are far worse than those of salinity, so governments should not be promoting the use of weeds for salinity control.
One of the worst emerging weeds in Victoria is Tall Wheat Grass (Lophopyrum ponticum), which according to the Victorian Government’s modeling could invade more than half of Victoria. It is a grave threat to Victoria’s saltmarshes and wetlands, and numerous threatened species, yet the government continues to promote it.
There are also other high-risk weeds being promoted and new weedy breeds being developed for release with no requirements for assessment of their risk.
I note that the recent review of federal environment laws (the EPBC Act) found there had been a “substantial failure” of state and territory laws to prevent the deliberate spread of invasive species. The example of Tall Wheat Grass shows that current laws at state and federal levels are failing to protect the environment and agriculture from invasive plants.
I request that you use federal environment laws to regulate the use of invasive species like Tall Wheat Grass that are nationally significant threats to biodiversity.
I request you to take a strong lead on working with state and territory governments to reform laws to allow only low-risk species and cultivars to be introduced into new areas or promoted by governments.
With invasive species one of the top three threats to biodiversity, I look forward to hearing how you intend to address these very serious environmental threats.
[Your name and address will be included here]
Ban rogue pasture grass, upgrade weed laws!
The Victorian Government is promoting one of the state’s worse emerging weeds for salinity control.
Tall Wheat Grass (Lophopyrum ponticum) has the potential to invade more than half the state and is a far greater threat than the salinity problem it is meant to solve.
The lack of controls on this rogue grass highlights the failings of current weed laws and policies.
You can help by asking the Victorian Government to declare Tall Wheat Grass a weed and for governments to reform weed laws.
Using our simple letter writing tool it will take you just a couple of minutes to send a message to both the Victorian Premier John Brumby and federal environment minister Peter Garrett about this important issue today.
The Victorian Government is promoting one of the state’s worse emerging weeds as a form of salinity control.
Tall Wheat Grass (Lophopyrum ponticum) has the potential to invade more than half the state and is putting numerous threatened species at risk. It is a far greater threat than the salinity problem it is meant to solve.
The lack of controls on this rogue grass highlights the failings of current weed laws and policies. You can help bring this weed under control by asking the Victorian Government to declare Tall Wheat Grass a weed and reform weed regulation to require risk assessment of all new plant releases.
Why Tall Wheat Grass should be banned
Tall Wheat Grass has been described as one of the “toughest plants on the planet” in a report published by the Invasive Species Council and The Wilderness Society. It can withstand salinity, frost, drought, alkalinity and waterlogging.
It invades saltmarshes, wetlands, estuaries, coastal cliffs, waterways, grasslands and woodlands, and is a danger to numerous threatened species, including the Orange-bellied Parrot and Tussock Grass (Poa physoclina), which has only just been discovered and is known from only five sites.
In 2001 a report produced by the Victorian Government recommended that the invasion of Tall Wheat Grass into saltmarshes be declared a threatening process, and yet the government has continued to promote and even subsidise the planting of this highly damaging weed.
It could invade an area more than 20 times that threatened by salinity and puts at risk at least 20 threatened species in Victoria.
The escape and spread of Tall Wheat Grass demonstrates the dire need for reform of state and federal laws to prevent further such dangerous introductions.
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