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The Pilbara Mesquite Management Committee was established
in April 2000 to identify knowledge gaps in mesquite ecology
and control, and to develop and implement a long-term strategy
to manage mesquite effectively. Since its inception the PMMC
has been an active and focussed group, with participation
from a wide range of stakeholders from government, industry
and the community. Research conducted through the PMMC has
been developed by CSIRO, together with the project officer,
collaborators within DAWA and CALM, and landholders. It includes
student projects run with collaborators at the University
of WA and Curtin University.
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Launch of the Mesquite manual at Mardie Station
(NPBMG and PMMC)
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The PMMC has successfully obtained NHT (WONS) funding from
2001-04, and competitive regional NHT funding (2004-07) to
develop and implement an effective strategy for containing
and managing mesquite within the Pilbara. As part of that
a full-time project officer is employed by the committee and
is based in Karratha.
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Mechanical control of mesquite
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The current NHT-funded project (2004-07) is specifically
aimed at developing best-practice management for fire tolerant
mesquite in Australia. Major objectives are to:
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Determine whether fire can be used to manage fire-tolerant
mesquite in Australia through the use of various fuel
manipulation techniques
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Improve management of strategic infestations by improving
mapping and monitoring methods, and improving kill rates
from mechanical and chemical control to 90-100%.
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Optimise the management of core mesquite infestations
in Australia (including the placement of containment lines
and use of secondary fencing) by reliably predicting potential
spread of mesquite at the regional scale
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Optimise the impact of nationally-released biological
control agents, the leaf-tying moth (Evippe) and
two seed-feeding beetles.
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Apply research results nationally through trials conducted
collaboratively in other core infestations.
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Continue to raise community awareness and participation
in mesquite management at a regional and national scale.
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Fire and mechanical control
techniques
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Research highlights so far include:
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obtaining preliminary fire data to show that fire could
be a potentially important management tool
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setting up a 144 ha integrated control trial, including
establishing dozing and chaining treatments
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obtaining important ecological information for the first
time, including on mesquite growth rates and survival,
reproduction, seed banks, seed physiology, and recruitment.
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assessing the impact of the leaf-tying moth
Contributing stakeholders
Include: Pastoralists, DAWA, CALM, Department of Environment
(WA), Pilbara Regional Advisory Committee, Robe River Iron
Associates, CMAE, Indigenous Land Corporation, FESA, Shire
of Roebourne, CSIRO Entomology.
Contacts:
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Linda Anderson (PMMC Project Officer); PO Box 867 Karratha,
WA 6714; Ph (08) 9144 1844; Fax (08) 9144 1118; pmmc@kisser.net.au
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Rieks van
Klinken; CSIRO Entomology, Long Pocket Laboratories,
120 Meiers Road, Indooroopilly QLD 4068; Ph: +61 7 3214
2761; Fax: +61 7 3214 2885
Publications
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van Klinken, R.D., Fichera, Parr, McCormick, Cobon, Fleck,
March and McMahon (2002). Challenges facing the successful
management of widely distributed weeds: biological control
of mesquite (Prosopis species). Thirteenth Australian
Weeds Conference, pp. 370-374.
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Graham, J., and van Klinken, R.D. (2003). Pilbara Mesquite
Management Committee unites efforts to manage mesquite.
In Mesquite Best Practice Manual.
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van Klinken, R.D., Fichera, G. and Cordo, H. (2003).
Targeting biological control across diverse landscapes:
the release, establishment and early success of two insects
on mesquite (Prosopis) in rangeland Australia.
Biological Control 26, 8-20.
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Gardner, G., Spafford Jacob, H., Steadman, K.J., and
van Klinken, R.D. (subm.). Effect of temperature, scarification
and light on germination of seeds of three mesquite (Leguminosae:
Prosopis spp.) hybrids naturalized in Australia.
The Fourteenth Australian Weeds Conference.
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Gardner, G., Spafford Jacob, H. and van Klinken, R.D.
(subm.). Seed bank of mesquite (Leguminosae: Prosopis
spp.) in the Pilbara Region of Australian rangelands.
The Fourteenth Australian Weeds Conference.
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