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Re: Non-Chemical Lantana Eradication



Amba <leesky@nectar.com.au> wrote:
>Hello All,
>
>My husband and I have just bought 7 acres of land down on the south 
>coast of NSW (Australia) which has about an acre of Lantana on it. As
>this is a pest plant in NSW, the Rural Land Protection Board has placed
>an order for it's removal. They recommended a chemical called Grasson to
>do it and were baffled when I asked for advice on alternative methods.
>
>I really don't want to use chemicals but have had some trouble finding
>information on alternative methods for this plant. Does anyone have any
>experience with Lantana removal - physically digging it out or any other
>method (can't think of one myself but then that's why I writing this I
>guess!!). Any experience, advice, stories or information would be very
>welcome. On the 'net I have been able to find plenty on propagating the
>plant but nothing on eradicating it!
>
>Please e-mail me directly if you wish and thanks for your help,
>Regards,
>Alisa
>

I work for the Qld. Dept.of Natural Resources on the biological control 
of weeds.  I am particularly involved with Lantana camara project.  I 
have the somewhat ironic job of growing Lantana.  

The Dept.'s PESTFACT recommends or lists:
* a sickening range of chemos to deal with Lantana.
* a number of insects that have been introduced and released against 
Lantana.  None of these insects have been very effective so far, 
unfortunately.
* mechanical control: cutting as low as possible (but growth is very 
vigorous), grubbing out stumps.  Seeds will continue to come up.
* fire: regular burning (say once or twice a year) and planting pasture 
seed to provide competion against Lantana seedlings and fuel for later 
fires.

They say "The treatment of large infestations of lantana with herbicides 
is not economically feasible.  Fire, dozing/stickraking, slaching/cutting 
can reduce dense infestations to less than 10% of area requiring spot 
treatment.  The use of fire as a part of a management program is 
essential for the control of dense infestations.  A suggested control 
program is:
* Exclude stock to establish fuel load.
* Burn when you can get a permit.
* Sow improved pastures (consult you local DPI blah blah)
* Continue to exclude stock until pasture has established and seeded.
* Burn again in the hot dry months, prior to rain or spot spray.
* Follow-up each burn with spot spraying for the next few years."

I'm giving all this advice as a 'regular Norm', not as an employee!! I 
quoted all that for simplicity, but I would personally ignore any 
reference to using mchemical sprays.

My approach might be:
* Dig, pull, cut, hack, butcher.
* Burn.
* Dig, pull, cut, hack, butcher.
* Burn.
* Dig, pull, cut, hack, butcher.
* Plant fast-growing ground cover, shrubs and trees (preferably local 
native species).
* Mulch as much as possible.
* Dig, pull, cut, hack, butcher.
* Plant fast growing ground cover, shrubs and trees (preferably local 
native species).
* Mulch as much as possible.
* Dig, pull, cut, hack, butcher.
* Plant fast growing ground cover, shrubs and trees (preferably local 
native species).
* Mulch as much as possible.

There is no easy way, unfortunately.  A common 'regen' principle is to 
work from the least infested to the most infested over time. Gradually 
chew away to its heart.  Also, the Lantana is there because other plants 
were removed too much or from poor farm management, so removing lots of 
Lantana might only provide a niche for a different weed, or open up for 
the Lantana to zoom back harder.

I can post or fax the PESTFACT to you if you want.

The very best of luck to you.

Paul Kristiansen
Brisbane, Qld.




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