Better Services to Farmers Case Study: Weed Spotters

Weed Spotters is a weed surveillance network of people trained to look for and report any high-risk invasive plant species entering Victoria. They also play an important role in monitoring and recording the distribution of plant species that threaten public assets.

DPI provides training and support to Weed Spotters so they have the knowledge and resources to undertake weed surveillance effectively. These are individuals who are in a good position to monitor the main pathways for new weeds to enter the state, and have the skills to identify targeted invasive plant species.

Weed Spotters are recruited from community, industry and agency affiliations. This includes local government and other land management agencies, community groups such as garden clubs, the horticulture industry and education institutions.

The current count has 1,800 registered Weed Spotters, and numbers continue to grow. This network represents a collaborative force between DPI, industry and community working together to protect Victoria’s biosecurity and the sustainability of farms, industries and rural communities.

Weed Spotters recently surveyed over 3,000 hectares to detect new infestations of hawkweed, a State Prohibited Weed. Six new hawkweed incursion sites were found.

In New Zealand more than six million hectares is infested with hawkweed, a potentially extremely serious weed for pastures and biodiversity across south-eastern Australia.

Partnerships DPI with community groups, government agencies (Department of Sustainability and Environment, and Parks Victoria) and industry.

Media Release
2000 Volunteers now Searching for Weeds Near You (external link)