Threat made to remove weed illegally

Local environmentalists are threatening to break the law in an attempt to get a noxious weed removed from the Melaleuca Wetlands near Everglades Country Club.

A spokesman for Peninsula Bush Care groups, Mr Bryan Ellis, said bureaucratic inaction had seen alligator weed spread dangerously in the endangered bushland since it was first reported two years ago.

He said the wetlands bushcare group had been told it would be breaking the law if it removed the weed.

There had been talk but no other action had been taken.

Mr Ellis said he and other local environmentalists were prepared to take the law into their own hands and remove the weed if nobody else would.

Alligator weed was a threat the wetlands because it spread rapidly and choked out native species.

In hot wet conditions, the South African weed grew and spread rapidly from the smallest cutting, ruling out slashing and mowing as control measures and making disposal difficult.

Possible control measures included manual removal, chemical treatment and control with biological agents, such as the flea beetle.

A combined meeting of Peninsula bushcare groups had discussed the issue last month and expressed concern and support for immediate effective action, said Mr Ellis.

Cr Lynne Bockholt asked Gosford Council's environment director at a council meeting last month to take immediate action.

Ms Nora Clark, coordinator of the Melaleuca wetland regeneration group, said that the group was keen to work with Council to fight the weed.

"We want them to deal with the problem."

She said a noxious weed officer from Gosford Council addressed members of the Melaleuca wetland regeneration group on Thursday, January 8.

He was to meet with representatives from National Park and Wildlife Service today (Tuesday) to discuss how to address the problem.

She said the bushcare group was powerless to do anything, as its members were not allowed to touch the plant because it was a declared noxious weed.

Ms Clark said she was also concerned by reports that Everglades had removed the weed from the golf course.

"They shouldn't be touching it," she said.

Alison Branley, January 9