Weed Management Plan for Mimosa (Mimosa pigra) 2013 DEPARTMENT OF LAND RESOURCE MANAGEMENT Weed Management Branch Department of Land Resource Management PO Box 496 Palmerston NT 0831 © Northern Territory of Australia 2013 ISBN 978–1–74350–041-5 This product and all material forming part of it is copyright belonging to the Northern Territory of Australia. You may use this material for your personal, non-commercial use or use it with your organisation for non-commercial purposes provided that an appropriate acknowledgement is made and the material is not altered in any way. Subject to the fair dealing provisions of the Copyright Act 1968 you must not make any other use of this product (including copying or reproducing it or part of it in any way) unless you have the written permission of the Northern Territory of Australia to do so. Important Disclaimer The Northern Territory of Australia does not warrant that this publication, or any part of it, is correct or complete. To the extent permitted by law, the Northern Territory of Australia (including its employees and agents) excludes all liability to any person for any consequences, including but not limited to all losses, damages, costs, expenses and other compensation, arising directly or indirectly from using, in part of in whole, any information or material contained in this publication. The use of pesticides and herbicides in Australia is governed by the Agvet Code Act 1994 (Commonwealth) and the Agricultural and Veterinary Chemical (Control of Use) Act (NT). Herbicides must be used according to the directions on the registered label. Users are not absolved from compliance with the directions on the label or conditions of the permit by reason of any statement made or omitted to be made in this publication. For further details see the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority website - http://www.apvma.gov.au/index.asp. Cover photo: Mimosa flower. Weed Management Plan for Mimosa (Mimosa pigra) ii Executive summary This Weed Management Plan forms part of a strategic approach to mimosa (Mimosa pigra) management in the NT, with the overall aim being to mitigate the damage caused by mimosa in relation to the natural environment, the Territory economy and social and cultural land uses. A comprehensive weed risk management assessment found mimosa to be a very high risk weed where potential exists for successful management. On the basis of this assessment mimosa has retained its declaration status under the Weeds Management Act (the Act) as: Class A: to be eradicated (all areas of the NT except where it is classified as Class B); Class B: growth and spread to be controlled This is an area roughly described as west of the Kakadu National Park, north of Adelaide River township, north-west of the Daly River/Port Keats road and north-east of the Moyle River and an area of the Oenpelli floodplain. Class C: prevent introduction into the NT (All Class A and B areas are also classified as Class C). The mixed declaration classes (A/C and B/C) reflect the varying feasibility of control between the two areas. Low density, high feasibility of eradication and control (Class A), and high density, lower feasibility of eradication or control (Class B), plus the need to prevent new introductions across all of the Territory (Class C). The delineation of management zones associated with these declaration classes represents a defensible balance between the difficulty of managing large established infestations (B/C zone) and the urgent need to eradicate outlying populations (A/C zone). This plan establishes the objectives, management requirements and management actions and outcomes to be achieved by land managers and the minimum actions to be taken to achieve these outcomes. Conducting land management practices in accordance with this plan will secure compliance with the requirements of the Act. As this is the first plan to be prepared for mimosa, the outcomes and options identified represent a first step towards reducing the impacts and threats of this weed. It is acknowledged that the range of capabilities for managing weeds vary between land managers and that in the first instance some will need time to build knowledge and capacity to adjust to new requirements. Accordingly this plan takes effect for a period of three years, during which it will be monitored. The plan will be reviewed and any necessary adjustments made at the end of that period. This plan also incorporates best management practice goals which will ultimately contribute to strategic weed control at a Territory scale. Information on a range of management techniques and control methods, including physical and chemical control, controlled burning and hygiene procedures is included. Weed Management Plan for Mimosa (Mimosa pigra) 1 Contents Executive summary ................................................................................................................ 1 List of Figures 4 List of Tables 4 1. Introduction ..................................................................................................................... 5 1.1 Background ............................................................................................................. 5 1.2 Period and application of plan ................................................................................. 5 1.3 Coordinated and adaptive management of mimosa ................................................ 5 2. Aim and objectives .......................................................................................................... 6 2.1 Aim ......................................................................................................................... 6 2.2 Objectives ............................................................................................................... 6 2.3 Targets .................................................................................................................... 6 3. Mimosa declaration status ............................................................................................... 7 3.1 Declaration status ................................................................................................... 7 3.2 Northern Territory Weed Risk Management System ............................................... 8 4. Current distribution .......................................................................................................... 9 5. Management requirements ............................................................................................ 10 5.1 Introduction ........................................................................................................... 10 5.2 Eradication (Class A) ............................................................................................ 10 5.3 Controlling growth and spread (Class B) ............................................................... 11 5.4 Preventing introduction (Class C) .......................................................................... 12 6. Eradication and control methods ................................................................................... 13 6.1 General ................................................................................................................. 13 6.1.1 Integrated weed control ................................................................................... 13 6.1.2 Property weed management planning and mapping ........................................ 13 6.1.3 Timing weed control ........................................................................................ 13 6.2 Chemical control ................................................................................................... 14 6.2.1 Disclaimers...................................................................................................... 14 6.2.2 Aerial spraying ................................................................................................ 16 6.2.3 Soil applied herbicides .................................................................................... 16 6.2.4 Foliar spraying ................................................................................................. 16 6.2.5 Basal bark application ..................................................................................... 16 6.2.6 Cut stump application ...................................................................................... 16 Weed Management Plan for Mimosa (Mimosa pigra) 2 6.3 Non-chemical control ............................................................................................ 17 6.3.1 Physical removal ............................................................................................. 17 6.3.2 Stick raking...................................................................................................... 17 6.3.3 Chaining .......................................................................................................... 17 6.3.4 Chopper rolling ................................................................................................ 17 6.3.5 Mulching .......................................................................................................... 17 6.3.6 Grazing ........................................................................................................... 17 6.4 Fire management .................................................................................................. 17 6.4.1 Pasture management .....................................................................................