The African Lovegrass Control Program:

The African Lovegrass Control Program supports landholders with free spraying of African lovegrass infestations on their properties.

Program details

• The spraying of African lovegrass infestations on properties is conducted by a contractor employed by PIRSA.
• The spraying contractors' charges and chemical costs are paid in full by PIRSA and the LC Landscape Board.
• The herbicide used is flupropanate and glyphosate. The directions for use and label information for the herbicides can be found on the following links;
  • Flupropanate directions for use
  • Glyphosate directions for use
• Where possible works will occur prior to seed set and contractors will follow best practice weed and equipment hygiene to prevent infestations being spread.
• Consideration for assistance will be prioritised in consultation with landholders, contractors, LC Landscape Board and PIRSA. Factors for consideration will include;
  · Size and number of infestations on property.
  · Efforts previously to undertake own control on property.
  · Proximity to hotspot areas (see heat map in hot spot areas).
  · Access to property and permission to use available chemical control methods.
• Participating landholders will be required to grant access, guide operations and manage stock accordingly.
• Landholders are responsible for adhering to herbicide withholding periods for stock grazing.
• By signing up to the African Lovegrass Control Program, landholders are requested to follow-up any contracted spraying with their own control efforts.
• The level of assistance provided to each landholder will be determined in consultation with the landholder.

The Limestone Coast Landscape Board and PIRSA will:

• Treat priority infestations of African lovegrass within property boundaries.
• Coordinate activities with contractors.
• Use information about properties involved in the program only for the purposes of delivering the project and project reporting. All commercial information will remain confidential.
• Engage suitably qualified contractors who will control African lovegrass in accordance with safe chemical use, codes of practice and agronomic standards.
• Consult with landholders in relation to access and activities that affect you.
• Obtain relevant approvals where required.

To be included in the African Lovegrass Control Program, landholders are required to:

• Consent for accredited operators to apply chemical control using approved methods e.g., spot spraying and boom spraying.
• Provide guidance to locations of African Lovegrass infestations.
• Facilitate access to infested sites.
• Provide farm safety and biosecurity inductions as required.
• Manage stock movements such as withholding periods following chemical application.
• Report on the success of spot spraying activities if requested.
• Acknowledge that any future support will be contingent on landholders implementing follow-up control works and adoption of best practice management.

When will the control take place?

The first round of landholder assistance was carried out over summer of 2023/24.

The second round of landholder assistance will be undertaken from December 2024 to March 2025.

The first stage of landholder assistance in summer 2023 - 24 targeted a priority zone to control African Lovegrass between Ngarkat National Park and the Dukes Highway.

The second stage of funding for landholder assistance has been broadened to include the entire upper Limestone Coast. This will increase the scale and effectiveness of the Program including as many landholders and covering as many hectares as possible. Sign up for the second round of funding will open 25 September 2024.

Established African lovegrass infestations in cropping and pasture situations will be prioritised in the upper Limestone Coast to protect high value agricultural areas.

Since January 2021, the Limestone Coast Landscape Board has significantly increased efforts to control African lovegrass across the region providing direct benefit to over 200 affected landholders adjoining roadsides. From January 2021 until June 2024 the Limestone Coast Landscape Board have mapped and treated over 420 km of roadsides in the upper Limestone Coast.

The below heatmap demonstrates the mapping of known African lovegrass infestations across the Limestone Coast. This information supports the planning and allocation of funds for the landholder assistance program.

The sign up for the second round of funding for the African Lovegrass Control Program landholder assistance is now closed.

Signing up does not guarantee involvement in the program.

If you would like to discuss African lovegrass control in your area, please contact your local Landscape Officer from the Limestone Coast Landscape Board.