Communities Combating Pests and Weed Impacts During Drought Program - Biosecurity Management of Pests and Weeds

Overview

The Australian Government is inviting local councils via a restricted competitive process to apply to deliver projects under the Communities Combating Pests and Weed Impacts During Drought Program - Biosecurity Management of Pests and Weeds in selected Local Government Areas (LGAs) in 2018–19. The Program will run over the 2018–19 financial year only. The objectives of the Program are to: Assist communities manage the impact of wild dogs, vertebrate pest animals and weeds during drought. Contribute to the government’s broader biosecurity objectives. Limit the negative impact of wild dogs, pest animals and weeds on agricultural production. Facilitate local employment in areas where projects take place. Stimulate economic activity in areas where projects take place. Provide a long-term benefit to communities where projects take place. The expected outcomes of the Program are: The detrimental economic, social and environmental effects associated with pests and weeds during drought are reduced. Fencing excludes wild dogs and reduces their impact on livestock health and population numbers. Targeted pest animals and weeds are controlled and reduced as appropriate. Grazing pressure from pest animals is reduced. Competition of weeds with fodder and native plants is reduced. The build-up of weed seedbanks is mitigated. Councils and other groups such as Landcare work together to reduce the impacts of priority pest animal and weeds in eligible Local Government Areas (LGAs). Project landscapes are managed in a manner that maintains and improves the resilience of agricultural /primary producing areas to enhance agricultural productivity. Increasing the use and uptake of innovative natural resource management technologies and best management practices. The information, financial and institutional capacity of communities is increased and their participation in natural resource management is increased.