Northern Slopes Landcare Association Incorporated

Eliminating Green Cestrum

Using a coordinated approach to eliminate Green Cestrum along the Horton River and to prevent its further spread downstream

Eliminating Green Cestrum

Using a coordinated approach to eliminate Green Cestrum along the Horton River and to prevent its further spread downstream

Stronger Together -

LLCI022-011

The issue

Green cestrum has densely infested the Horton River. It is a class 3 weed and is a serious threat to the biodiversity within its habitat due to its toxicity of it’s leaves, stems, fruit and flowers.  By actively reducing green cestrum at the beginning of the river system, Northern Slopes Landcare Association hoped to reduce the impact further downstream.

The solution

Using National Landcare Program funding, Northern Slopes Landcare Associaiton  hired a professional contract spayer to spray Green Cestrum along the river bank on for several kilometres of the Horton River.  Once the first chemical treatment has been applied it is then the landholder’s responsibility to maintain and reduce weed infestation along the Horton River, with ongoing monitoring to ensure this is done.

Northern Slopes Landcare Association staff coordinated  landholders on 16 adjoining properties at the start of the Horton River to participate in this weed eradication program which will not only be a benefit to the landholder but also to the environment, stock, landholders downstream and the overall health of the river. As the project continues there will be ongoing monitoring and evaluation from landholders.

There will be continuous monitoring of this problem for the following 5 years in order to reduce green cestrum numbers at the beginning of the river system and therefore in turn to try to reduce the impact further downstream.

The impact

The coordinated approach to the spraying of Green Cestrum has ensured that far less Green Cestrum will be available to be spread along the remainder of the Horton River, which feeds into the Murray Darling River system.  In addition, as costs came in under budget it has allowed the project to be extended and plans are now in place to extend the control area further along the Horton River.

Key facts

  • Starting control at the Source of the Horton River to eliminate/minimise weed infestation further downstream
  • Using a coordinated landholder based approach to achieve the best result possible.

Project Partners