The Invasive Species Council has welcomed news buffel grass has finally been declared a weed in the Northern Territory, following a similar declaration by South Australia in 2015.
 

Invasive Species Council conservation and biosecurity analyst, Lyall Grieve said this is a huge win following years of relentless campaigning by local Indigenous groups, environment groups and tourism operators who are alarmed at the spread of this highly flammable weed.

 “Buffel grass is undeniably one of the most severe invasive threats to the environment and culture of central and northern Australia,” Mr Grieve said.

“As buffel grass spreads, it pushes out native grasses, starves our wildlife and drives more extreme fires. 
 

“Communities in the Northern Territory have been calling on the government for decades to take decisive action to prevent the spread of invasive buffel grass.
 

“While this change is a critical first step for action, the battle against invasive buffel grass cannot be won without serious funding for action on the ground.
 

“If we are going to save the remaining central Australian mulga, red gum woodlands, hummock grasslands and the animals who rely on them from this invasive menace, then it will require long term funding of a targeted removal program.”
 

The NT Government is spending $750,000 managing buffel grass this year and while this is a good start, it must be backed up with increased and longer-term funding.
 

“While we celebrate this announcement, it is unfortunately yet another instance of government action coming only after an invasive species has spiralled out of control. We must learn from this and adopt a proactive approach to protecting our previous ecosystems in the future.”