A number of serious weeds have been identified by Kaanju Traditional Owners, including the highly invasive or transformer weed species Andropogon gayanus (Gamba grass), Themeda quadrivalvis (Grader grass), Urochloa mutica (Para Grass), Senna obtusifolia (Sicklepod), as well as the Weed of National Significance (WONS) - Hymenachne amplexicaulis (Olive Hymaenachne). In addition, a number of aggressive weed species not yet present on Kaanju Homelands but present elsewhere in north Queensland, such as Mimosa pigra (Mimosa), Salvinia molesta (Salvinia), Hyparrhenia rufa (Thatch grass) and Crytpostegia grandiflora (Rubber Vine), have the potential to colonise and spread rapidly through Kaanju lands. These species pose serious threats to Kaanju cultural values and to the potential for the economic independence of the Kaanju people, as well as adversely effecting agricultural land management systems.
A Draft Kaanju Weed Management Plan (KWMP) has been developed for Kaanju Homelands following consultation with Indigenous and non-Indigenous land managers in the region. Importantly, the plan has been developed from the 'ground up' with the involvement of all relevant land managers at all stages. A Weed Reference Group (WRG) was formed to facilitate this process. The WRG comprise Kaanju land managers, pastoralists, and other stakeholders. Consultation has been undertaken primarily 'on country', via workshops, meetings, and in 'the field'. The draft plan identifies core milestones to be achieved in terms of sustainable weed management, their link to sustainable NRM and agriculture, as well as actions to be undertaken in order to achieve these milestones.
The approach is an integrated one that addresses the social and cultural aspects of sustainable agriculture and natural resource management. The plan outlines how the Kaanju people wish to address alien plant issue on their lands, and how such aspirations might best be supported by government agencies and the non-government sector.
Importantly, the project encourages and supports Indigenous land owners and managers, and non-Indigenous leaseholders, including pastoralists, working together in a collaborative manner towards appropriate weed management and sustainable land management on country.
The plan will be further developed with the aim to complete a comprehensive final KWMP by the end of 2007. This period of time will allow feedback on the draft management plan from relevant stakeholders and finalising of key milestones, actions and outputs. Implementation of on-ground management strategies will continue over this period with comments on the effectiveness of on-ground actions incorporated into the final KWMP.
