Issue #74 Newsletter of The Weed Society of New South Wales Inc. Shearwater chicks on Big Island are often entangled and die in the dense mats of kikuyu and morning glory. Image: Rowena Morris. In This Issue • Weed Management on Big Island, Broughton Island and Lord Howe Island • Impressive biocontrol agent for Crofton weed. • Threatened native plants can become weeds. • Apply for Society & CAWS awards. ISSN 1325-3689 A Good Weed #74 Autumn 2016 In this issue Index & Society Details 1 Contact Details President’s report 2 Postal Address: PO Box 8040 New member 2 Kooringal NSW 2650 Society awards Secretary: [email protected] Treasurer: [email protected] Travel Assistance Grants 3 Editor: [email protected] Website: www.nswweedsoc.org.au UnderUnderUnder-Under---graduategraduate Prize 3 Office Bearers for 2016 Society Projects 3 President 20th CAWS Conference, Perth 4 Kim Hignell (Lake Macquarie) History of Society newsletters 5 Vice President Birgitte Verbeek (Tamworth) Weed management on NSW Islands Secretary Big Island (Five Island Group) 7 Stephen Johnson (Orange) Broughton Island 9 Treasurer and Public Officer Immediate Past President Lord Howe Island 11 Rex Stanton (Wagga Wagga) New rust fungus for Crofton weed 13 Newsletter Editor Lawrie Greenup (Westleigh) Threatened native plants as weeds 15 Assistant Newsletter Editor CAWS Medal for Leadership 16 Hanwen Wu (Wagga Wagga) Treasurer’s report 17 Other Committee Members Dan Austin (Prospect) Membership renewal dues 17 Doug Campbell (Scone) Hillary Cherry (Forestville) Plant Protection Quarterly Tony Cook (Tamworth) membership discount 18 Maria Edmonds (Cessnock) Reece Luxton (Grafton) ‘A Good Weed’ & ‘Punnet Tray’ are produced by The Weed Society of New South Wales Inc. Material from the publications can be reproduced Committee Meeting Dates and circulated with the acknowledgement of the Committee meetings will be held in April, June, authors. August, October & December 2016. The opinions expressed in both publications by The Annual General Meeting will be held in No- contributors are not necessarily those of the vember 2016. Executive Committee of The Weed Society of New South Wales Inc. Dates to be advised. Page 1 A Good Weed #74 Autumn 2016 Last but not least, if you have any ideas on what From the President topic you would like to hear about at our next seminar held in Sydney, later in the year, please send me your ideas. A focus on operational works It’s March already, and the year is moving very such as herbicides, and where we stand as weed quickly for many of us who are time poor with managers and operators under the new weed workloads continuously increasing, mine included. legislation Biosecurity Act 2015 are a couple of ideas. Remember that this is being held for you and I hope that you like our new magazine cover for to update our weed issues is best done in this for- 2016, which celebrates the 50th anniversary of our mat. I will be looking forward to hearing your ideas. Society. Formed in 1966, the Weed Society of New South Wales Inc. is the oldest weed society in Australia. A special publication is being created to celebrate which will be released later in the year. This autumn issue of A Good Weed, focuses on Island Weed Management with three great articles enlightening us with their unique management of issues in overcoming weed problems. The 20th Australasian Weeds Conference to be held in Perth on 12 – 15 September this year has called Happy Weeding for papers with the closing date 21 March. Let’s Kim Hignell hope that you got your papers in on time. The CAWS Oration will be delivered by Professor Steve Powles, Director of the Australian Herbicide Resistance Initiative. There will be some special subject workshops and a symposia held over the 4 days of the conference. Welcome to our New Member Just a reminder that the Society Travel Assistance Grant applications are due on the 1 May 2016. William (Bill) Brown Limited travel funds are available to assist eligible Charles Sturt University members with national and/or international travel. A maximum of $1000 is available per member for Wagga Wagga assistance in travel expenses, to be used at the discretion of the successful applicant for payments New members receive all the benefits of Society such as registrations, accommodation, fares and/or membership including: meals. Preference may be given to members who • opportunity to network with others interested will be presenting at the event. So please get your in weed management; submissions in on time. • discounted registration for Society seminars and workshops; I would like to thank all of our sponsors from last • opportunity to apply for Society Travel year and hope that they renew their sponsorship for Awards; 2016. If any member knows of any potential • the Society newsletter, A Good Weed, sponsors for the Society, please contact the delivered quarterly and the electronic Secretary or Treasurer with their contact details. newsletter, the Punnet Tray; • discounted registrations to attend the Membership renewals have now been sent out but if Australasian Weeds Conference and the NSW you haven’t received your invoice please contact Biennial Weeds Conference, and additional our Treasurer at [email protected] . financial prizes for the winners of the Thank you to all our members who have paid their Buerckner Award, Stephenson Award & membership renewal so quickly. NSW Weed Industry Award. Page 2 A Good Weed #74 Autumn 2016 Society Call for Funding of Travel Assistance Grant ProjectsProjectsProjects Closing Date 1 May 2016 The Weed Society of NSW Inc. is calling for applications from members who require full or Limited travel funds are available to be allocated partial funding of projects that meet the aims and each year as a Travel Assistance Grant to assist objectives of the Society. eligible members with national and/or international travel. A maximum of $1000 is available per The aims of the Society are to: promote a wider member for assistance in travel expenses, to be used interest in weeds and their management; encourage at the discretion of the successful applicant for the investigation of all aspects of weeds and weed payments such as registrations, accommodation, management; encourage the study of weed science fares and/or meals. Preference may be given to and the dissemination of its findings; provide members who will be presenting at the event. opportunities for those interested in weeds and their management to exchange information and ideas Applicants must be over the age of 18 years and based on research and practice; cooperate with other must have been a financial member for two organisations engaged in related activities in consecutive years, including the current financial Australia and overseas, and produce and publish year. such material as may be considered desirable. Members are invited to submit applications which Applications are required to be lodged in advance of should include details of the project; how it relates travelling and funds must be used within 1 year of to the aims of the society; the likely outcomes and being approved. the level of funding required Rarely will the grant meet all of the travel expenses Successful applicants will be required to enter a so the applicants are expected to demonstrate that legal and business contract with the Society. the balance of funding is available from other Applications or further details contact: sources. Funding is NOT available for local travel within 250 kilometres of the applicant’s usual The Secretary workplace. Weeds Society of NSW Inc. PO Box 8040, Kooringal, NSW 2650 or email: [email protected] University UnderUnder----graduategraduate PrizePrizePrize An annual award to under-graduate students at universities who study a weed science subject and who have been recognised by the Faculty for excelling in this subject. The Society offers a $250 prize plus 12 months free Society membership. The prize will only be provided if the weeds course is sufficiently comprehensive to warrant support. Trailing speedwell, Veronica plebia, in buffalo lawn. Taken with a 16 MP Smartphone - fits in the pocket, has GPS, memo, Nominations are made by the participating voice recording, and access to weed ID websites & maps. No institutions. more heavy SLRs, lenses, tripods & associated gear. Perhaps occasionally for that A3 size image! Image: Lawrie Greenup. Page 3 A Good Weed #74 Autumn 2016 This year the Council of Australasian Weed The CAWS Oration will be delivered by Societies (CAWS), along with local hosts the Professor Steve Powles, Director of the Weeds Society of Western Australia, are celebrating Australian Herbicide Resistance Initiative. the 20th Australasian Weeds Conference. The biennial conference is being held at the Pan Pacific There will be some special subject workshops and in Perth, Western Australia, which has traditionally symposia including: been one of the highest attended AWC's, and over • Wattle we do about invasive acacias? 300 delegates are expected from across Australasia. Chair: Christina Birnbaum • Invasive garden plants. Chair: Kate Blood Delegates will come together to meet-up with peers, • New incursions. Chair: Barbara Waterhouse engage with industry sponsors, and to listen and • The scourge of spurge – invasive Euphorbia participate in presentations and field trips on a species. Chair: TBA variety of topics including: • Have you got the APPtitude? Use of apps • Herbicide resistance for reporting, identifying and/or manage- • Weeds of National Significance ment of weeds. Chair: Dr Rosalie McCauley • Agricultural weeds • Grains Weeds Advisory Committee. • Environmental weeds Chair: Dr Chris Preston • Biological control of weeds • Weeds on islands. Chair: TBA • Modelling and new technologies to manage weeds • Weed legislation, policy and strategy – evo- lution and revolution. Chair: Dr John Virtue • Legislation, regulation and policy to manage weed • Weed management for biodiversity conservation. Chair: Hillary Cherry Further information visit the website: www.20awc.org.au Page 4 A Good Weed #74 Autumn 2016 50 Years of the Society Newsletter and ‘A Good Weed’ Newsletter Number 1 Newsletter No.