CHRC commissioned Kleinfelder to conduct a lineal survey of key stock routes, road easements, and council-managed tenures and leases to obtain baseline information on weed abundance and distribution within their areas of responsibility. Significant weed species identified through Commonwealth, state and local government legislation, and management strategies and plans were also targeted for assessment.

Overcoming Geographical Issues

Kleinfelder Ecologists conducted the survey using motor vehicles as the vast geographical area covered approximately 3000km of a remote section of the Central Highlands region. The site conditions, including roadways that had high vehicle loading and/or road trains, posed safety concerns.  Easement widths, vegetation composition, weed density, and traffic flow—were also at times challenging—affected surveying speed.

A Strategy for The Short- and Long-Term

Individual weed infestations were mapped using single location points while lineal mapping was utilized for large infestations. Survey findings, along with weed management recommendations that aligned with the Central Highlands Regional Council Pest Management Plan (2015), were included within Kleinfelder’s project reports. In addition, an Inspection and Test Plan was developed that identified an action for each threat, highlighted the priority of actions, detailed success criteria, identified the timing and repetition or follow-up of the action required, and allocated accountability for the action to be completed.

Project Results

Kleinfelder successfully completed the survey on time and within budget, recording over 800 infestation locations that were included in a user-friendly report for the client, which provided step-by-step recommendations. A datasheet was developed to support the broader mapping overview and to provide accurate location details and species information of all records.

Project Details

Location:
Central Highlands, Queensland

Owner:
Central Highlands Regional Council