The battle to stop the spread of weeds in Queensland received a boost this week with the launch of a new online identification tool to support the Queensland Government’s Flood Recovery Program.

The Weeds of Australia toolkit has been initiated by Biosecurity Queensland in partnership with the Centre for Biological Information Technology, and will help the community to identify over 1,000 different types of weeds.

Biosecurity Queensland’s Invasive Plants and Animal General Manager Gabrielle Vivian-Smith, said the identification tool also linked to information on various control measures.

“Weeds are able to spread rapidly and can have a devastating impact on ecosystems and the productivity of primary industries,” Dr Vivian-Smith said.

“Prevention and early intervention are the most cost effective ways of controlling new and emerging weeds in Queensland.  

“The online toolkit will allow people to identify and help control the spread of invasive plants.”

Users can identify a particular weed by selecting from a variety of different plant features. Once identification has been verified, the resource key then links to information on how to control the weed, if it is available.

“If you’re still not certain about the identification of the weed, you can take a sample to your regional Weedspotter coordinator or send a pressed sample to the Queensland Herbarium,” Dr Vivian-Smith said.

“Alternatively, you can submit a photo of the plant for identification via the toolkit.”

Many weeds including parthenium, giant rat’s tail grass and water hyacinth could have been spread earlier this year by floodwaters.

With the arrival of warmer weather, weed growth and flowering could really take off across the state, so Dr Vivian-Smith believes the toolkit’s arrival is a timely one.

“Our aim is to prevent the spread and increase the management of invasive weeds by the community, and the online toolkit will help support that goal. I encourage landholders to make use of the website but also to remain vigilant, especially at this time of year.”

To use the online toolkit please click here.

^{Source: Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation}