About weeds and how they are destroying our national parks.

What is a weed? A weed is a type of plant which is from another country that does not belong here. Weeds can be any type of plant such as the prettiest flower or the spikiest shrub. Plants that grow fast have a large chance of becoming a weed. Weeds can also be quick travellers. They spread easily and can take over plants that are native to our country.

WHAT IS BAD ABOUT A WEED? Weeds grow around our native plants and take their soil and water. They are bad for human health even if they look nice or taste yummy. Weeds are very hard to get rid of because you have to get the roots out but if you don’t they will grow back and continue to spread. Weeds can effect areas important to native Australian plants by affecting available space of bush food and medicine, and slowing down the health of original activity sites. They also impact the appearance of the natural environment, which is important to many people for tourism.

Weeds take over the environment. Tourists bring weeds here to plant them. Weeds are one of the biggest threats to natural wildlife and the values within Australia. There is over 1000 kinds of weeds in Victoria, which makes tourists even more comfortable planting them. How Weeds Get Here

Do you like camping with weeds? Alot of weeds are in camping areas like Wilsons Promontory. If you go there you might not like it because when some people go there, there are so much weeds that you could climb 6 meters high because some weeds grow on trees and you can climb up them. If you see this please tell national park rangers to do something. This happens because weeds can climb up trees like ivy, and stick so they stay there. People swing on them and the weeds fall off the trees so they sink into the ground and spread even more.

Weed Control Weeds are hard to get rid of, especially if there’s lots of them. Rangers have to get the weeds out, which costs a lot of money and time. Different weeds take different methods to remove.

invasive weeds list Blackberry Prickly pear Broom/scotch Boneseed Oxalis African Boxthorn Castor Oil Plant Spanish Heath Sweet Briar Weeping White Broom Paddy’s Lucerne Apple of Sodom Heather Myrtle-Leaf Milkwort

What can you do? Research your nearest park Cleaning up weeds on your property to prevent spreading When going to a national park, clean up what you take, fruit pips can sprout and become weeds! When visiting a national park, check your shoes, socks, bike and car tyres and picnic blankets to ensure there are no weeds on them. Always stay on the tracks to prevent spreading weed seeds in national parks.