There’s been a big win for the Leeuwin Naturaliste National Park at Redgate thanks to a coalition of landholders teaming up to remove woody weeds from their land and protect the nearby bush.
Four landholders near Boodjidup Creek have teamed up with Nature Conservation Margaret River Region to tackle problem weed trees including olive and sweet pittosporum on their properties, which all back onto the national park.
One of them is Eric Streitburg, who joined Nature Conservation’s Woody Weeds campaign and was determined to address an infestation of sweet pittosporum on his Blackboy Hollow Rd property.
Sweet Pittosporum, a rainforest tree native to eastern Australia, is an invasive species in our region because it adapts well to growing in wet areas, along creek lines and under the canopy of our beautiful karri forest. The tree is a problem because it spreads rapidly thanks to its orange, grape-sized fruit which is attractive to birds, meaning the seed is spread far and wide.
Sweet pittosporum with its distinctive orange fruit
But Eric is not alone in the fight, with three other adjoining landholders also coming on board to collectively tackle the woody weed problem in their area. Among them are residents Grant Johnston and Penny Bower, who have removed the olive grove they inherited when they bought the property almost two decades ago.
Olives are another problem weed tree in the region because they are so hardy, outcompete natives and the seed is readily spread by birds. Olive infestations can quickly establish and thrive in our climate. They are also oil-rich, making them highly flammable and a major bushfire hazard.
Landholder Grant Johnson decided to remove weedy olive trees from his Redgate property
Nature Conservation’s woody weeds coordinator Peta Lierich says Eric and his neighbours’ work has been so effective because they pooled their efforts to work across property boundaries to tackle the problem.
“We meet many landholders who can manage the weeds on their property, but they can’t win the war unless their neighbours do the work too,” Peta says.
“Eric’s is a good news story because four properties have got on board with woody weed control in this area, teaming up with Nature Conservation’s Bush Regeneration Team while Main Roads WA are also doing woody weed control along the road reserve. It’s a great collaboration and a good start to an area that needs some attention.”
Peta says it’s a story that can be replicated across the region. “It only takes a few passionate landholders to spark a movement,” she says. “Eric’s dedication shows that when one person takes action to protect biodiversity, it can inspire a ripple effect—uniting neighbours, protecting biodiversity, and proving that environmental stewardship begins with the will to care for your own patch.”
Nature Conservation’s Peta Lierich
For landholders growing olives as ornamental trees – particularly on properties with bushland nearby – Nature Conservation recommends replacing them with native species that will benefit the ecosystem, such as hakea oleifolia or grevillea olivacea. For those growing olives for harvest, landholders can keep trees pruned and compact, pick fruit regularly when ripe, and net trees to reduce birds’ access to the fruit.
The Woody Weeds campaign – funded by the WA Government’s State Natural Resource Management Program – is putting the spotlight on weedy trees such as Sydney golden wattle, Flinders Range wattle, sweet pittosporum, Victorian tea tree, blackwood and olives. To learn more, see our Woody Weeds webpage for a video series, resources and more.
“Even one woody weed tree can spread seed over a large area in just a few years. Consider replacing your woody weeds with local natives, which boost our bushland and are beneficial for wildlife,” says Peta.
Top photo: Nature Conservation’s Fede Butron and Nathan Hammer assisting landholder Eric Streitburg to remove woody weeds.