The Brumby Government has committed $2.7 million to help landholders adjoining our parks and reserves step up the fight against the spread of weeds and pests.
Environment and Climate Change Minister Gavin Jennings said the Good Neighbour Program has a successful history of reducing the impact of pests and weeds and this financial year will support more than 400 projects across Victoria.
“The Brumby Government, through the Good Neighbour Program, is working in partnership with farmers, landholders and communities across Victoria,” Mr Jennings said.
“These partnerships are crucial to protecting Victoria’s natural environment, economy and communities from the impacts of weeds and pests.
“The program is on top of the Brumby Government's $205 million Future Farming Strategy, which includes an additional $20 million to tackle weeds and pests.
“This important program helps landholders whose properties adjoin public land and also helps keep our parks, state forests and Crown Land reserves free of pests. “This important program helps landholders whose properties adjoin
public land and also helps keep our parks, state forests and Crown Land
reserves free of pests."
“By working together, land managers and private land neighbours across Victoria can expand their work tackling established weeds and pests. We’re building on the success of past control measures where private property and public land meet.
“The projects to be rolled out this financial year are vast and include management of 18 weed species such as Gorse, Serrated tussock, Blackberry, Prickly pear, Hardheads and Boneseed,” Mr Jennings said.
“There will also be projects dedicated to the control of pests such as foxes, wild dogs, rabbits, feral pigs and goats.
“Landholders and public land managers from the DSE and Parks Victoria are working together across the fence achieving real gains in weed and pest management which will benefit all Victorian communities.”
Parks Victoria’s Keith Couper said the Good Neighbour Program has been successful in reducing the number of rabbits, thistles and foxes around Jack Smith Lake in South Gippsland.
“By working together in a combined pest management strategy, on both public and private land, we’ve achieved good results for everyone,” Mr Couper said.
“Private landowners understand that keeping pests out of the reserve also keeps them off their
land, so they’ve been keen to have rabbit control work done on their side of the fence as part of the overall program.”
For more information, visit www.dse.vic.gov.au or call DSE Customer Service Centre on 136186.
Keith Couper is available for interview by calling Felicity Grey on 0408 371 575.