Weeds - Glossary

Weeds

A weed is a plant growing away from its natural environment. Without natural predators to control growth, weeds can form invasive monocultures, taking over natural systems and invading pastures and crops.

Weeds of National Significance (WoNS)

In 1998, Australian governments endorsed a framework to identify which weed species could be considered WoNS within an agricultural, forestry and environmental context.

States and territories nominated 71 weed species to be assessed and ranked under this framework. Four major criteria were used in determining WoNS:

Twenty WoNS were identified through this process. The Australian Government and the state and territory governments then endorsed the final list in 1999.

This was the first attempt to prioritise weeds over a range of land uses at the national level. It is not a purely scientific process, but an attempt to draw together meaningful indicators on which to base future weed decision-making. It also provides a framework to prioritise weed management at the state, regional and local levels.

For information on the WoNS weeds visit:
www.weeds.gov.au/weeds/lists/wons.html

Declared Plants

Pest plants targeted for control under state legislation, in Queensland, are species that have, or could have, serious economic, environmental or social impacts. Declared pest plants where formerly termed "noxious plants" or "noxious weeds". Pest management legislation aims to help protect Queensland's economy, biodiversity and people's lifestyles by:

Declaration under the Land Protection (Pest and Stock Route Management) Act 2002 imposes a legal responsibility for control by all landowners on land under their management. This includes all landowning state agencies. Large landowning state agencies are also required to develop and implement pest management plans.

Class 1

A Class 1 pest is one that has the potential to become a very serious pest in Queensland in the future. We need to prevent the import, possession and sale of these species so that they can't escape to become pests. All landholders are required by law to keep their land free of Class 1 pests. It is a serious offence to introduce, keep or sell Class 1 pests without a permit.

Class 2

A Class 2 pest is one that has already spread over substantial areas of Queensland, but its impact is so serious that we need to try and control it and avoid further spread onto properties that are still free of the pest. By law, all landholders must try to keep their land free of Class 2 pests and it is an offence to keep or sell these pests without a permit.

Class 3

A Class 3 pest is one that is commonly established in parts of Queensland but its control by landowners is not deemed to be warranted unless the plant is impacting, or has the potential to impact, on a nearby "environmentally significant area" (e.g. a national park). It is an offence to sell, introduce or release a Class 3 pest.

For more information on Landholders obligations in relation to declared plants (and animals) visit the Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries website www.dpi.qld.gov.au

The Land Protection (Pest and Stock Route Management) Act 2002 can be downloaded from the Queensland Legislation website Queensland Legislation

Registered Pesticides

Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority is the National Independent Regulator of Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines.

The Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) is an Australian government authority responsible for the assessment and registration of pesticides and veterinary medicines and for their regulation up to and including the point of retail sale.

The APVMA administers the National Registration Scheme for Agricultural and Veterinary Chemicals (NRS) in partnership with the States and Territories and with the active involvement of other Australian government agencies.

Search PUBCRIS for Registered Chemicals: APVMA

Material Safety Data Sheet

Access to the Australian Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) for a large number of chemical products: www.msds.com.au

More weeds

Weeds Why bother? - Declared and significant weeds in Queensland - Lantana - Local Law Declared weeds - Stevia ovata

Environmental Weeds - A - C - D - K - L - R - S - Z - Weed glossary (this page)

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