A new report into the spread of Gamba Grass has revealed that efforts to manage the highly invasive weed on public land are failing, and that increased effort and investment is urgently needed to manage risks to public safety and the environment.
The report Gamba Grass and Land Tenure in the Northern Territory outlines known records of gamba grass and their documented spread, by location, tenure and land manager. Freehold and Crown lands show the greatest increase in known gamba grass records, with a particularly abrupt increase on freehold land in the Darwin Rural area.
The report recommends that the NT Government:
- Conduct more outreach and provide funding by gamba control by freehold landholders and pastoral leaseholders.
- Provide greater support for the control efforts of NT Parks and Wildlife.
- Increase management of gamba grass on public lands.
- Target areas highly susceptible to new infestations to limit further spread.
- Prioritise sufficient funding to eradicate infestations in the Eradication Zone.
- Apply a coordinated whole-of-government approach to address the growing gamba grass threat.