In October, it became depressing to drive around KV, with all the flowering privet. Along Kangaroo Valley and Moss Vale Roads, or into Upper Kangaroo Valley or Bunkers Hill, the assault on the senses from the overpowering aroma matches the sense of disappointment: a sorry sight.
About 10 years ago, we seemed to be on top of it, with government grants available for the control of weeds and help for native regeneration along the creek banks. Now, those sources of funding have dried up, while landowners, both longtimers and recent arrivals, have either dropped the ball a bit, or didn’t know about the game.
Our five landcare groups (at Brogers Creek, Upper Kangaroo Valley, Jacks Corner Road, Kangaroo Valley Environment Group and the Friends of the Rock Wallabies) have continued the work to control woody weeds like privet. But without more landowners working hard on it, and without real government support, things seem to be going backwards.
Brogers Creek Landcare have been spurred to action , with multiple groups of volunteers tackling the flowering monster along Wattamolla and Kangaroo Valley Roads. This will continue. While flowering time is a sensual assault, the real problem occurs in February when the purple fruits mature and birds spread them into your garden, your creekbank or your bushland.
Now is the time to act. Small-leaved privet plants (which flower in October) flower and set seed at a young age, often in their second year. So every plant removed is a long term success. Their intense flowering helps, because it tells us where they are. It’s like a signal – come and get me.
So, come on, KV, let’s get active and get back to supporting our local environment. The treatment is simple to learn. Hand pull little plants. Cut and paint from finger width to bigger. Larger plants can be drilled and filled. Larger patches can be sprayed.
And there is help. KVEG and other landcare volunteers will come and help you with controlling privet and other problem weeds on your place. Just send us an email, give us a date. We’ll come and help. We know that helping you helps us. A win-win, as our birds won’t bring privet from your garden into mine.
Email kangaroo.valley.environment@gmail.com and we’ll the there.
Greg Thompson
for Kangaroo Valley Environment Group