Weed Action Fund Stage 3

Project 6. Emerging weeds

Strategic planning, community education and targeted on-ground works to tackle Tasmania’s emerging weed threats.

The Tasmanian Government’s Weeds Action Fund (WAF) supports coordinated action to reduce the impact of priority weeds on agriculture and the environment.

Under WAF Stage 3, Enviro-dynamics, through its delivery partners Landscape Recovery Foundation and Derwent Catchment Project, will lead a statewide program focused on emerging priority weeds, combining strategy development, education and awareness, surveying and targeted control to stop spread at the source and protect Tasmania’s biosecurity.

Why focus on emerging weeds?

A number of serious and potentially serious weeds have recently established or expanded in Tasmania. Early, coordinated action is the most cost-effective way to contain or eradicate outbreaks — especially around high-value assets, across tenures and along known spread pathways.

What this project will deliver

  • Public resources & events: Field days/workshops across Tasmania, short educational videos, and downloadable brochures covering identification, impacts, hygiene and best-practice control for specific species.

  • Strategic guidance: Species strategies/plans (statewide or local, as required) that set priorities, roles, rapid-response pathways and best-practice guidance.

  • Survey & control: A pooled minimum of 80 person-days of surveys and targeted on-ground works across priority species and sites, delivered with landholders, councils and community groups; new records uploaded to the Natural Values Atlas (NVA).

Post fire Weed control, hand removal of seed bank flush after fire of Poatina and thistles

How we’ll work

We’ll work in close partnership with landholders, councils, utilities, NRE Tasmania/Biosecurity Tasmania, Landcare/Wildcare and producer groups to align priorities and share effort. Our cross-tenure approach targets sites where control will curb regional spread and protect high-value assets. All actions will follow best-practice hygiene and treatment methods, with monitoring and clear, scheduled follow-up built in.

Emerging Weeds Project 6

Emerging Weeds Project 6

  • Close-up of agricultural weed, green slender leaves and yellow spiky caterpillars on the stem and leaves against a reddish-brown soil background.

    Bathurst & Noogoora burr

    Xanthium spp.

  • small white flowers in rows, green slightly hairy leaf

    Common heliotrope

    Heliotropium europaeum

  • Green leafy vines with small white flower clusters growing among the leaves.

    Japanese knotweed

    Reynoutria japonica

  • Close-up of a pink and purple flower spike with green leaves surrounding it.

    Red inkweed

    Phytolacca octandra

  • Close-up of a grass inflorescence with reddish-brown spikelets among green grass blades.

    Hairy sedge

    Carex Hirta

  • A plant with glossy green leaves and small green buds or flowers growing in a cluster.

    Spurge laural

    Daphne laureola

  • Large ornamental grass bush with long, thin, spiky leaves and small flower clusters, against a background of blue sky and distant trees.

    Spiny rush

    Juncus acutus

  • shiney green leaf with points, green berry with dimpled base

    Chilean mayten

    Maytenus boaria

  • A dry, spiny desert plant with large, jagged, silver-green leaves and round seed pods, growing in sandy soil.

    Stemless thistle

    Onopordum acaulon

  • A bright orange flower with a yellow center growing among green grass and plants.

    Orange hawkweed

    Pilosella aurantiacum

  • White surface with a carved right-pointing arrow.

    Our target species

    Each target species has a tailored package of deliverables: a mix of education resources, management plans, surveys and targeted treatment matched to species’ risk, distribution and feasibility. To learn more about what’s planned in your area or for a particular species, please contact the relevant lead.

  • lead contacts

    For enquiries related to Xanthium spp., Japanese knotweed, red inkweed, or common heliotrope, hairy sedge, spurge laurel, spiny rush, Chilean mayten, and stemless thistle, please contact Steph Horwood at

    stephanie.horwood@enviro-dynamics.com.au

    For enquiries related to orange hawkweed, please contact Morgan McPherson at

    morganmcpherson@enviro-dynamics.com.au

Image credits: Carex hirta: ©anna_efimova, Daphne laureola: Andy Scott, Heliotropium europaeum: Weeds of Melbourne, Juncus acutus: Paul Marynissen NSW DPI, Maytenus boaria: Scott Zona, Onopordum acaulon: JJ Dellow, Phytolacca: Weeds of Melbourne, Xanthium spp.: Bob Trounce NSW DPI

visit the NRE webpage to learn more about WAF Stage 3 and the other projects in this round.

Duration: 2025-2027

Location: Statewide

Facilitated by Enviro-dynamics

Funding source: Tasmanian Government

Black and white Tasmanian tiger government logo