2015-04-28 Attachment 2 to item 5 Planning and Organisation Committee Agenda - Pest Management Plan 2015-2019

European foxes (Vulpes vulpes) prey upon small        such as hydatid disease, making eradication
native animals and are a domestic nuisance as         more difficult in rural and rural residential areas.
they scavenge in bins and backyard compost            As development has encroached on rural areas
heaps and cause domestic dogs to bark. Foxes          more situations arise where the dingo/wild dog
are a particular problem in coastal areas because     population comes into contact and, therefore,
they dig up turtle nests to eat the eggs and they     conflict with people. Wild dogs are a problem
are linked to the decline of endangered and           throughout rural, rural residential and urban areas
vulnerable marine turtle populations throughout       of Noosa.
Australia.
                                                      Several populations of red, rusa, and fallow
                                                      deer are currently established within the region.
Pests of our rural areas                              Deer pose a serious threat to the region, hence
                                                      their declared status under state legislation and
Many pest species that are of particular              the subsequent requirement of land managers
concern in rural areas cause illness and injury       to take reasonable steps to ensure numbers
to livestock and degrade pasture in addition to       are managed accordingly. As well as providing
their impacts on natural ecosystems. Groundsel        competition for both domestic livestock and
bush (Baccharis halimifolia) and giant rat’s tail     natives species, deer present many other
grass (Sporobolus spp.) cause loss of production      impacts, including traffic hazards to motorists;
and degradation of pasture by out-competing           they are implicated in the spread of declared
desirable pasture species. As well as impacting       plant species as well as exotic diseases such
                                                                                as Foot and Mouth
                                                                                 disease; destroy property
                                                                                 infrastructure, such as
                                                                                 fences; and can quickly
                                                                                 degrade pristine areas
                                                                                 through intensive activity,
                                                                                 leading to erosion and
                                                                                 sediment transport and
                                                                                 damaged vegetation.


                                                                                Pests of our
                                                                                hinterland ranges

                                                                                Vines such as blue
                                                                                morning glory (Ipomoea
                                                                                indica), thunbergia
                                                                                (Thunbergia spp.),
                                                                                cat’s claw creeper
                                                                                (Macfadyena unguis-
                                                                                cati) and madeira vine
Camphor laurel (Cinnamomum camphora)
                                                                              (Anredera cordifolia)
                                                                              are ubiquitous weeds of
on productivity annual ragweed (Ambrosia              hinterland areas. They smother native vegetation
artemisiifolia) can aggravate asthma and hay          with dense blankets of growth that can kill
fever and fireweed (Senecio madagascariensis)         trees. Another problem vine, dutchman’s pipe
is poisonous to livestock.                            (Aristolochia elegans) is closely related to the
                                                      native Pararistolochia praevenosa, the larval
Wild dogs are a major concern to many                 food plant of the Richmond birdwing butterfly
landholders. Attacks by wild dogs on livestock,       (Ornithoptera richmondii). Adult butterflies
wildlife and pets are not uncommon and these          mistakenly lay their eggs on the exotic vine,
can be very traumatic for witnesses. There is also    which is poisonous to the caterpillars. This has
growing concern that people, particularly children,   had devastating effects on local populations of
are at risk of attack. Like some domestic dogs,       Richmond birdwing butterflies.
wild dogs are known to carry zoonotic diseases

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