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Many people have fond memories of picking blackberries, trampling through gullies, along creeks and hillsides to fill their buckets with soft, plump juicy blackberry fruit. Aside from providing fruit for the lovely home-made jam and toppings for ice-cream, blackberry has become a widely established weed across much of Victoria.
Michael Reid, Victorian Department of Primary Industries (DPI) Blackberry Coordinator said ‘Blackberries have a major impact on grazing potential, biodiversity and the use of the natural environment.’
“Large blackberry infestations can drastically reduce on-farm returns through a reduction in the carrying capacity of pastures and also harbour feral animals,” Mr Reid.
“Blackberry is one of the twenty weeds of National significance and is estimated to cost Australia $100 million annually in control and lost production.”
However, when blackberries became too much of a thorn in the side for landholders in north-eastern Victoria, the locals decided to take the issue into their own hands. In 2005 the North East Blackberry Action Group was formed, an initiative of the Upper Murray Landcare Network.
In March 2008 the group celebrated their outstanding success by showcasing their approach to private landholders, local government and representatives from State Government Departments from Victoria and NSW. Over forty-five people attended and were bussed around Burrowye, Walwa, Tintaldra and Cudgewa to see presentations on the different management approaches used to control blackberry infestations.
The group is a leading example of how a small group of thoughtful and committed people can get together to make great inroads to generating change in their landscape. They generally meet four times a year with fifteen land management groups, including 8 Landcare Groups, farmers, the Towong Shire Council, plantation owners, Parks Victoria, the Department of Sustainability and Environment and VicRoads involved in the action group.
Group Project officer, Damian Wall, works with landholders across the region through direction from the action group. Three-year voluntary blackberry management agreements are negotiated with landholders and management techniques are also discussed. Weed mapping is also initiated by the group, using global positioning technology, to pinpoint infestations on private and public land, and roadsides. The maps are then given to land managers so they can coordinate future works in conjunction with the group.
Chairperson Lyn Coulston said the majority of the success can be attributed to the enthusiasm of the Steering Committee, community support and close partnerships between the different land managers.
“Discussions with private land managers show that those with serious blackberry problems often see no way forward and those around them think they are poor land managers, causing them to become reluctant to take action’ Ms Coulston said.
“However, often all is needed is an outsider to come in and listen, provide information and support and then they get on with it.
“Also getting access to blackberry infestations is the largest single barrier to treatment”
The Upper Murray project area is characterised by steep slopes, and sits only a stones throw away from Victorian and New South Wales ski slopes.
“We are able to give landholders a helping hand by providing a contribution to the cost of installing access tracks in some cases. Where blackberry is threatening quality remnant vegetation or riparian areas it is important to act quickly to protect these assets and then work to keep them free of blackberry while other areas of the property are being treated,” Ms Coulston said.
“This allows the farmers to get into the hard to reach country areas and permits them to continue follow-up spraying,
“The program isn’t just about removing blackberry, we are starting to witness landscape change as once infested areas are reclaimed for production and in steep areas information about management of the existing native pastures is provided.”
In 2005, Ms Coulston was elected chair of the Victorian Blackberry Taskforce (VBT), comprising community and Departmental representatives and funded through the National Heritage Trust and Victorian DPI. The VBT provides a state-wide approach to blackberry management.
“The Taskforce has been investing in partnership approaches to try and duplicate the north east’s success. That is why it is important to have field days to demonstrate what community groups are capable of achieving,” Ms Coulston said.
Mr Reid said he is helping to facilitate the roll-out of similar partnerships programs across the State.
“It’s great to see how well the North East Blackberry Action Group has been empowered and taken ownership of blackberry control across the region,” Mr Reid said.
A similar approach to this community weed model is also being used by DPI around the State to control serrated tussock and gorse.
“One of the most important aspects of being successful in establishing these groups is working with communities rather than trying to provide the answers,” Mr Reid said.
“A lot of time is invested in working with interested parties across the state, explaining the process and determining genuine interests of potential partnerships.
“This model will not work everywhere across Victoria due to the diversity of land managers’ attitudes and awareness of weed issues.”
A documentary on the group’s journey is currently being filmed by Dr. Brian Furze at La Trobe University which will be available by June 2008.
Achievements to date from the North East Blackberry Action Group include: