re Willow clearing

[con <>]

The situation with willow control is complex - definitely more complex than I understand I will freely admit.

One of the disasters that has occurred in recent years is that willow-stock imports have enabled the production of viable seeds with pre-existing stands of willows. These seeds are air/wind borne and are capable of moving across catchment boundaries and 'against the current' so the old approach of starting at the headwaters and moving downstream does not have the power it used to have.

A few years ago the Centre for Plant Biodiversity was working on the genetics of willow populations in Australia as a first step to understanding the challenge.

Anecdotally, I can say that we have removed willows from some Goulburn riverbank that we own in Victoria, and have replanted with riverine species along with fencing to exclude cattle. The cost per kilometre is very high but the benefits to the birds were evident almost straight away.

In the same general area, local sections of some water ways/wetlands have been completely taken over by willows.

IMHO, any time a government is prepared to put resources and efforts into willow control, it should be supported and praised. They might get details wrong here and there, but the general direction - replacing willows with scarce riparian native vegetation - is right on the button.

regards

Con

On 21/08/2011 5:08 PM, Peter Ormay wrote:

They are not removing Weeping Willows but the invasive Snap Willow that strong winds in winter snap twigs off which drift downstream, get caught in debris and grow.  Therefore it's important to start upstream and work down.