An invasive plant has changed the face of some of the country’s most famous landmarks, causing catastrophic environmental damage, raging bush fires and health issues. Buffel grass strips the beauty and biodiversity from iconic sites like Uluru, turbocharges fire and smoke hazards, suffocates native plants and animals and obstructs cultural practices. 

Eighty-four organisations from health, tourism, First Nations, arts, unions, land management, social services, and environment have called for the grass to be declared one of the nation’s worst weeds. The organisations span all mainland states and the Northern Territory, demonstrating the widespread distribution and significant level of concern that exists.

Right now there is a rare opportunity to slow down the buffel catastrophe. Declaring buffel grass a Weed of National Significance will ensure it receives the long overdue recognition, national coordination, turbocharging of research and on-ground management opportunities. The process of deciding the “Weed of National Significance” is reaching its final stages; despite buffel grass being a nationwide and multifaceted threat it is far from guaranteed. 

Quotes attributable to The Hon. Lucy Hood MP,  South Australian Minister for Climate, Environment and Water

“Buffel grass is already a crisis for remote desert communities, but up until now it has been ‘out of sight, out of mind’ for most people.”

“Without a coordinated national response, buffel will continue to spread, threatening entire ecosystems, infrastructure and regional towns with exponentially greater fire risk, not to mention the loss of iconic wildlife and beloved landscapes.”

Statement from Mutitjulu Mala Rangers Rangers, Treymane Okai, Andy Wilson & Michael Cullinan:

“Buffel grass is making the country look ugly. Tourists don’t get to see country at its best. No pretty flowers, no native grasses”

“Managing buffel grass stops us from doing important park work like predator management and going on country trips, fixing fences and other Park work.”

“We can’t see the tracks of animals anymore. We can’t find some bush foods We can’t find artifacts."

"It grows close to rock art sites, and the fires & smoke will destroy these important places and make the rock art disappear.”

“There is so much fuel now we get worried when there are lightning storms that might light up buffel grass and cause big wildfires that burn native trees because buffel grass grows right next to them.”

Quotes attributable to Alex Vaughan, Policy and Advocacy Coordinator, Arid Lands Environment Centre:

“Buffel grass is a firebomb. The repetitive and extra hot fires it fuels are destroying the life, beauty and diversity of Australian landscapes. Buffel grass invasion is land clearing by stealth!” 

“Central Australian communities have watched the red centre turn beige as buffel grass smothers the riverbeds, gorges and desert plains.”

“A Weeds of National Significance listing for buffel grass is a vital opportunity to recognise the existential impacts posed by buffel grass invasion, to come together collectively and make a plan to minimise harm to communities, environments, cultures and economies across the nation. We must address this crisis with urgency!”

Quotes attributable to Anna Dakin, Tour Guide, Art Tours of Australia:

“Buffel grass is strangling Central Australia, and I’m embarrassed. People travel here for the beauty of the landscape and its unique ecosystems, and what they find is a landscape gasping for breath.”

“Tourists are shocked it's not already been declared a weed nationally.”

Quotes attributable to Kim Krebs, General Manager, Alinytjara Wilurara Landscape Board.

“The Alinytjara Wilurara Landscape Board has worked with remote communities to limit the spread of buffel for many years and the truth is that buffel is nothing less than a disaster for people and for the environment.”

“We urgently need a national strategy to address the crisis before it spreads further and impacts larger regional towns, critical infrastructure and industry. A coordinated, targeted approach now will cost much less than cleaning up the mess in future.”

Media Enquiries: Alex Vaughan, [email protected], 0427 573 178

About Arid Lands Environment Centre:

The Arid Lands Environment Centre (ALEC) is central Australia's peak environmental organisation that has been advocating for the protection of nature and growing sustainable communities in the arid lands since 1980. ALEC works regionally and on a wide range of issues including climate change, renewable energy, biodiversity conservation, mining, nuclear, food and water security and fracking. 

Background

• Read the Open Letter calling for the WoNS listing here.

• Buffel grass is considered one of the world’s worst weeds.

• Buffel grass is the greatest invasive species threat to environments and cultures across the arid and semi-arid lands.

• Buffel grass is a landscape transformer, outcompetes native plants and creates extra hot and frequent fires which native grasslands, woodlands and river red gums cannot withstand.

• Buffel has an extremely high fuel load and recovers first post-fire - outcompeting recovering native plants and creating more fire opportunities.

• Buffel grass is suitable to establish across up to 68 percent of the continent, which means its full spread and impact have not been realised.

• There are at least 31 EPBC-listed threatened species and ecological communities already impacted by buffel grass. Species such as the Slater's desert skink and the MacDonnell Ranges cycad are under threat. 

• The Weeds of National Significance (WoNS) is a Federal Government process to identify priority weeds based on invasiveness, feasibility of management, environmental, social and economic impacts and benefits of national coordination.

• The process includes nominations and a series of assessments. The last time the WoNS list was updated was in 2012. 

• The benefit of WoNS listing includes recognition, a national coordinator, a national taskforce and funding opportunities. There are no legal obligations attached to the declaration. 

Images

Buffel Grass Invasion across the Australian Continent (Source: Atlas of Living Australia)

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