WMB attendance at gamba grass management workshop
The Weed Management Branch (WMB) attended a Gamba Grass Management Workshop organised and facilitated by Territory Natural Resource Management – Land for Wildlife; and Landcare NT – Gamba Grass Roots.
The Weed Management Branch and Gamba Fire Mitigation Unit staff spoke to attendees on a range gamba related of topics including, how to identify gamba grass, legal requirements, assistance programs for landholders, the gamba grass compliance program and importantly, where to find more information and support.
Highlights of the workshop were landholders sharing their personal experiences managing gamba grass on their blocks. These included challenges related to fire and also some great success stories that landholders have had.
The WMB answered questions and cleared up misconceptions about managing gamba grass. For example, one landholder believed that slashing immediately prior to spraying would create an open wound on the plant, helping it to die sooner. However this is untrue. Gamba must be actively growing and ideally knee high before spraying. This ensures the plant absorbs enough herbicide to destroy its large root system.
There are some great WMB videos on when to spray gamba grass, go to the Northern Territory Government website.
