Buffel Grass Fuels Fires and Faces Weed Listing Battle

Karmactive Staff

Australia faces a growing battle over buffel grass as experts urge science-based decisions on managing this controversial plant that acts as both valuable livestock feed and dangerous invader.

Photo Source - Katja Schulz (CC BY 2.0)

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The Invasive Species Council warns confusion about a potential national weed listing could undermine efforts to control buffel grass where it causes serious damage.

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Buffel grass grows faster and denser than native plants, creating up to five times more fuel for bushfires that burn hotter, spread faster, and can kill even mature trees that normally survive.

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First Nations communities consider buffel grass their greatest invasive threat as it damages sacred sites, reduces bush foods and medicines, and disrupts traditional cultural practices.

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The Indigenous Desert Alliance led a nomination for buffel grass to be listed as a Weed of National Significance, backed by 83 organizations across Australia.

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This nomination is not about removing buffel from grazing land," explains Australia's former Chief Environmental Biosecurity Officer Ian Thompson.

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Intense fires fueled by buffel grass damage critical infrastructure like roads and power lines, creating significant costs beyond the pastoral industry.

Photo Source - Mick Stanic (In Rememberence) (CC BY-NC 2.0)

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The Northern Territory Government recently committed $750,000 annually for buffel grass management and officially declared it a weed in the territory.

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A national listing would create better coordination through a national coordinator, research funding, and a management plan bringing together graziers, Indigenous rangers, scientists, and fire managers.

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Buffel grass is a complex issue—it's valued in some places and devastating in others. That’s why we need a nationally coordinated response," says Dr. Carol Booth, Policy Director at the Invasive Species Council.

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