Local bushcarers pass on knowledge on weeds

Local bushcarers and botany enthusiasts Joan Heavey and Sonia MacDonald.

The Noosa Integrated Catchment Association (NICA) has just reprinted the field guide, ‘Weeds of the Sunshine Coast’ with funding assistance from the Sunshine Coast Council.

The field guide is for anyone involved in natural area management and interested in the identification of weeds, many of which are also common throughout Cooloola, Fraser Island and Southeast Queensland.This second edition includes 30 new weeds which are a continuing problem on the Sunshine Coast. It also includes a few that are native plants in northern Australia which have become naturalised outside their normal range and now behave as weeds.

The book was written by local bushcarers and botany enthusiasts Joan Heavey and Sonia MacDonald. Both have had an interest in local flora and weeds for many years and involved in volunteer bushland regeneration in the Noosa and Sunshine Coast areas for well in excess of 10 years.President of NICA, Bruce Hallett, said that NICA is particularly pleased to work with enthusiasts like Joan and Sonia in facilitating and helping them realise their goals which have direct benefit to improving land management practices in the Sunshine Coast area.“This book contains 272 pressed, mounted and scanned specimens of herbs, trees and shrubs, vines and climbers, aquatic weeds and sedges,“ Mr Hallett said.

“Also included is detailed information on comparisons between native and exotic Ludwigia species and 21 of the most invasive grasses found in the region. “Both Joan and Sonia have volunteered an enormous amount of their time to produce the book content, and a generous grant from the Sunshine Coast Council has allowed it to be reprinted.“

This book is a must have for anyone interested in weeds and removing them from our natural environment.People wishing to obtain a copy of the book should contact NICA at 5449 9650 or by going to the NICA website. The book will retail at $45. The production of this reference book is proudly supported by the Sunshine Coast Council’s grant program.