Backyards falling victim to biological bulldozer

18/11/06
The incurable and destructive Phytophthora dieback disease has infested more than 35 parks and reserves throughout the southern metropolitan area, according to a Dieback Atlas launched by Environment Minister Mark McGowan today.
Mr McGowan said Phytophthora dieback was traditionally associated with country areas of the State; however, the insidious disease was also spreading into people's gardens, killing trees and other plants in the process.
The Minister said the launch of the atlas served as a wake-up call to people in the metropolitan area that the infestation of the plant destroying disease was a problem facing the entire community.
"Plants that are susceptible to this disease include jarrah, banksia, grass trees, zamia palms, dryandra and hakea," he said.
"People should be aware that this disease can be spread through the movement of soil.
"That is why it is important to ensure you always ask for an assurance that the plants and soil you buy is dieback-free and that you never transfer plants or soil from your garden into native bushland.
"If you are travelling in dieback-free areas, ensure that you do not bring any soil or plant material with you that could be carrying this disease.
"There is no cure for dieback - only preventative measures - so it is very important that people take precautions to stop this disease spreading further."
Mr McGowan said the Carpenter Government was particularly concerned about the prevalence of dieback in national parks and conservation lands throughout the South-West.
"Dieback affects up to 40 per cent of the South-West's flowering native plant species and threatens a range of species with extinction," he said.
"Over the coming months, the State Government will be embarking on a strategic campaign to stem the crawl of this disease in some of the State's most beautiful and biodiverse areas.
"We have increased funding to deal with this problem by an additional $1.3million this financial year - bringing the total State Government spend to more than $3million. Next year, we will increase funds even further, spending just under $4million.
"Some of the additional funds will be used to spray the chemical phosphite on and around threatened plants in the Stirling Range National Park, and in areas around Albany, Esperance, Busselton and the Walpole Wilderness Area.
"This approach is the only known way of inoculating plants and trees from this disease."
The Minister said the additional funds would also be used for a targeted attack in Fitzgerald River National Park - one of the most botanically rich areas in the world.
"Fitzgerald River National Park covers 330,000ha and has about 2,000 species and sub-species of native flowering plants (more than in the whole of Great Britain), and provides habitat for nearly a third of the total number of plant species in the South-West.
"The dieback infestation is in an area known as Bell Track and was introduced in the 1970s by earth-moving equipment constructing an illegal road through the park.
"The current outbreak extends over 265ha and, if not confined, it could cause mass collapse of ecosystems and associated ecological processes across tens of thousands of hectares at the park.
"The new project - known as The Last Stand at Bell Track - involves fencing the affected area to prevent the spread of the disease by humans and native and feral animals, and a range of possible experimental approaches and innovations such as controlling waterflows that transport the pathogen."
Mr McGowan said the latest dieback programs were part of a series of 70 strategically-targeted projects under a two-year $15million biodiversity conservation initiative that also was focusing on environmental weeds, feral animals, biological surveys and actions to protect and recover threatened native plants and animals.
"The strategy is part of the Carpenter Government's 'conservation dividend' that is funding on-the-ground actions in specific areas to reduce impacts on native species and thereby avoid the State incurring millions of dollars in remediation costs in the future," he said.
Meinister's office: 9222 9111