Landholders with conservation covenants in North East Victoria received help with weed control from Trust for Nature.

All landholders with conservation covenants in the North East were eligible to apply for assistance. Covenants most at risk from high threat weeds were prioritised.

Trust for Nature supported landholders to control high threat weeds such as Blackberry, St John’s Wort, Patterson’s Curse and Privet.

Controlling weeds such as these is especially important following the impact of the 2019-20 bushfires. On properties directly impacted by the fires, weed control will help the bush recover. On other properties, weed control will help maintain habitat as a refuge for fire-impacted wildlife.

Trust for Nature worked with landholders to complete 500 hectares of weed control by April 2022. We also ran a webinar this September with the goal of providing information to landholders with conservation covenants about importance of controlling high threat weeds.

The project involved upskilling landholders to manage weeds on their conservation covenants by supporting them to undertake a formal ACUP (Australian chemical user permit) certification.

Controlling weeds like Blackberry (left) will give fire-affected habitat the best chance to recover.