Thursday the 17th of October, 2024
Victorian Legislative Council
Rachel Payne MP presented a constituency question to the Victorian Legislative Council on the 17th of October 2024.
On behalf of her constituent, Rachel called for increased government funding to eradicate invasive boneseed in Lysterfield Park.
Boneseed is a non-native, rapidly spreading plant that outcompetes native species, reducing the natural biodiversity of bushland.
RACHEL PAYNE (South-Eastern Metropolitan): My constituency question is for the Minister for Environment and Minister for Outdoor Recreation. My constituent is a resident of Rowville and a member of Friends of Lysterfield Park.
Friends of Lysterfield Park is a local volunteer group who work to preserve this prime parkland for the whole community to enjoy, but Lysterfield Park has a boneseed problem. This small evergreen shrub produces up to 50,000 seeds per plant.
Spread by seed, boneseed impacts native vegetation and reduces the biodiversity value of bushland. There are already 1 million boneseed weed trees in Lysterfield Park, and without effective control they are doubling every three years, as is the cost of removal. Any efforts to remove this invasive species must be long term to prevent re-establishment.
So my constituent asks: will the minister fund the eradication of boneseed in Lysterfield Park?
Response Received, the 19th of November 2024:
Parks Victoria works with the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA), landowners and community groups such as the Friends of Lysterfield Park, to manage weeds within parks across Victoria.
South African boneseed is a highly invasive pest plant species. I am advised that complete eradication of this species is not feasible due to the highly mobile seed bank which is spread by birds, native animals and pest animals.
Parks Victoria delivers several weed management programs in Lysterfield Park with a focus on the protection of key biodiversity assets. Programs include the removal of boneseed and other noxious weed species. Management of weeds such as boneseed is labour intensive, requiring direct application of an approved herbicide or manual removal. Parks Victoria will continue to monitor areas of high conservation value within the park and treat priority areas.
I would like to acknowledge the fantastic contribution by the Friends of Lysterfield Park to this important work and other biodiversity projects at Lysterfield Park.
Steve Dimopoulos MP
Minister for Environment
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