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After three years (stages), MCCL's Green Cestrum Control Program (GCCP) to encourage local landholders to control Green cestrum will reach the junction with the Hunter River. Situated in the Upper Hunter region of NSW, and surrounded by Wollemi National Park, Martindale Creek's catchment is under the community care of Martindale Creek Catchment Landcare (MCCL). Covering over 30km of the lower portion of the creek, the Program has enabled landholders to have contract control works undertaken through MCCL funding, while providing free 5L drums of chemical to other farmers each year.

Partnering with major funders Muswellbrook Shire Council and Hunter LLS, MCCL has also worked with other authorities to create this catchment-wide, community driven project. Upper Hunter Weeds Authority have been incredibly supportive of our efforts, providing advice and supporting field days and private identification enquiries. NPWS manage the neighbouring Wollemi National Park, and have brought their control activities for Green cestrum into line with MCCL's project.

Why Green cestrum, you ask? Green cestrum is a dreadful weed. It is responsible for many stock deaths, often especially during drought when cattle and other stock that would normally avoid it are willing to eat anything green – which is often ONLY Green cestrum. Green cestrum is also an invader of natural habitat, out competing native that fill the same role in the landscape. Being a fruiting woody weed, it is readily spread by fruit-eating birds and other animals, so is easily spread across farms and the bush, and especially the creek line.

Landholders are provided with free chemical each Stage, unless that year they have free contractors. This helps our local farmers with financial costs towards spraying this weed, while also encouraging the actual works to take place. It also fosters the participation of all landholders in the control program, working as a whole catchment to treat these weeds at the same time. Neighbours working together can achieve great things! Identification and chemical application information is provided with each Stage's giveaway.

What next? While we have completed one full length of the creek with contractors, and effectively three lengths of the creek by local landholders, this weed is in the landscape across the local and wider region, and is easily spread back by seed and the existing seed bank sprouting, so vigilance is required. MCCL will continue to seek funds to support local control works of this weed, and will continue our efforts to educate newcomers to our beautiful area as to this and other weeds and their best control options.

#landcare #dosomethingreal