Latest news with #DrCarolBooth
Yahoo
10-07-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Aussies urged to know telltale sign as 'devastating' pest threatens every state: 'Coming any day'
The Australian public will become the "most important" defence the nation has in fighting back against the spread of one of the worst-known tree killers on the planet, with thousands already forcibly cut down and calls mounting to immediately restrict domestic timber importations across the country. The shot-hole borer, a highly invasive, introduced pest, is widely considered to be one of the most destructive bugs on earth, due to its unique biology, ability to spread rapidly, and its devastating impact on both urban and natural ecosystems. In June, the federal government admitted it had lost the multimillion-dollar battle to eliminate the polyphagous shot-hole borer in Western Australia, a tiny beetle that originally stems from Southeast Asia and was detected in Australia for the first time just four years ago. So far, it's infested over 4,500 trees in Perth, including 20 historic figs that were turned to mulch. While the beetle doesn't eat the wood, it introduces a type of fungus that it feeds on. The fungus blocks the tree's vascular system, causing dieback and often death. It can destroy over 100 different types of trees — including many Australian natives and popular trees like avocados, figs and maples. Incredibly, it also does not need a mate to reproduce, the Invasive Species Council's Dr Carol Booth told Yahoo News Australia. "It can still lay eggs and then mate with one of the males that hatch out," she explained, which means one single fertilised female can start a new colony. "You just need one female in a piece of wood, and they can survive for months," Booth said. "They're very good travellers, and it's a real risk that they will spread. Most experts are warning that it's inevitable that they will eventually spread. We're saying, we need to contain them for as long as possible so that we can develop some effective control methods." So far, the shot-hole borer has only been detected in Western Australia, but South Australia, in particular, is on high alert. Authorities are currently conducting a surveillance of some 500 sites across the state, including in Adelaide's metro area, to check for infestations. SA's Department of Primary Industries has set movement controls on plant material, firewood, wood chips, and pot plants from entering from Western Australia. It's a move arborists and botanists are pushing to be implemented in the east. They say that if the infestation makes its way to other cities, the result could be catastrophic. Gardening photos highlight sign trees are riddled with invasive species Warning over common garden product as destructive threat spreads Alarm as destructive tree pest threatens to go national The Sydney Royal Botanic Gardens' Professor Brett Summerell said the matter requires urgent and swift attention. He said if the shot-hole borer arrived in the city, the impact would be "absolutely devastating". "We have a lot of heritage figs in the Botanic Gardens, Centennial Park, Hyde Park, pretty much in every major park and garden within Sydney is heavily populated with fig trees, which seem to be extremely susceptible to the beetle," Summerell told The Sydney Morning Herald. "We've been assuming it's going to be coming any day for a year or two now. We're working on the assumption that it could be tomorrow." Earlier this year, senior botanist at Curtin University, Professor Kingsley Dixon, said no plant material whatsoever from the west should be allowed into the eastern states, warning trees could be "king-hit". Booth agrees, saying the potential consequences can't be overstated. "It's the only way of stopping its spread," she said. "The beetle itself doesn't fly very far, so it will be up to people — both to spread it, if they don't abide by the rules — but also to keep an eye out. "The public is the most important part of this, because they will be responsible for detecting and reporting. So we are certainly encouraging everyone to understand the signs to look out for — that's the entry and exit holes for the beetle in the trees — really tiny holes. "People should be looking up online what they look like. And obviously, if trees or tree branches are dying, then investigate what's going on there." Booth is calling for "strong" and immediate containment measures and investment in research on potential control methods, including biological options and a clearer understanding of the environmental risks. While the shot-hole borer's impacts on urban environments and horticulture are relatively unknown, the threat to native ecosystems is still uncertain. "Australia is unique, and we've got different species from elsewhere," she said, pointing out that "the fungus that the beetle has come with is different from those known overseas". In Perth alone, just four years after the beetle was first detected, authorities have identified 15 native species that they've classified as "highly or very highly susceptible" and another 23 that are "moderately susceptible". Booth would like to see an independent, transparent inquiry into the now-abandoned eradication program, which she said was "definitely worth the attempt", and should be a learning opportunity. "We need to continuously improve our approaches towards new invasive species," she said. "And… we need to invest much more in prevention, because once something's here in Australia, it's really difficult to eradicate it." Love Australia's weird and wonderful environment? 🐊🦘😳 Get our new newsletter showcasing the week's best stories.
Yahoo
18-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Aussies urged to check their own backyards as popular plant 'infests' major city
Aussies have been urged to inspect their own backyards as an escaped garden plant continues to wreak havoc in a major city. Spanish Moss, a hanging plant that thrives in warm, humid environments, is exploding in Sydney after months of heavy rainfall, prompting a warning to residents from local councils and landcare groups. The ornamental, which is native to tropical and subtropical America, is a common addition for those with a green thumb, but there are concerns gardeners are unaware of just how quickly it can spread and overwhelm larger trees. 'Bush regenerators are raising the alarm as Spanish moss spreads more widely,' Dr Carol Booth, the Invasive Species Council's policy director, told Yahoo News. 'It's an epiphyte — a plant that grows on other plants — and it can infest dozens of native tree species. We've seen turpentines, brush boxes, lilly pillies and cheese trees all severely impacted. It can grow thickly, smothering trees, blocking sunlight, breaking branches and sometimes killing the host by preventing photosynthesis.' Recently, Willoughby City Council in the city's lower north shore urged residents to keep an eye out for the plant, noting it is 'becoming a problem'. 'Please remove it if you can, don't purchase or share the plant. Help protect our trees!' it said online. Nearby Lane Cove Council has issued a similar warning stating Spanish Moss 'is becoming increasingly common in the Sydney region' and 'threatens the local critically endangered Sydney Turpentine-Ironbark Forest and Blue Gum High Forest communities'. 'If you have Spanish Moss growing in your garden, it is recommended that you remove it and dispose of it in your green waste,' the council said. The plant is increasingly being recognised as an environmental weed — particularly in the Sydney region — but it's not currently declared under any laws, Dr Booth said. It has established in the wild in parts of Queensland and NSW, including the Lismore area and Lord Howe Island. 'It spreads readily through fluffy wind-borne seeds or fragments carried by birds, wind or human movement. That makes it particularly hard to contain once it's in the landscape,' Dr Booth told Yahoo. 'Despite the risks, it remains a popular ornamental plant that can be legally sold across the country.' And it's far from the only one, with experts sounding the alarm over another nasty weed — gazania — earlier this month. Despite the South African native flower emerging as a serious invasive threat to native grasslands and grain-growing regions, it's still being sold at nurseries. Escaped garden plants are the primary source of new weeds in Australia, with a whopping three-quarters of all environmental weeds starting out as ornamentals. This has prompted the Invasive Species Council to campaign for stricter regulations on the nursery industry to stop the selling and spreading of such plants, which contribute to over $5 billion in losses each year. 'More than 30,000 plant species have been imported into Australia for gardening, but fewer than a quarter have been assessed nationally for their weed risk,' Dr Booth said. 'Some of our worst invasives — like lantana and blackberry — were once common garden plants. 'Unless governments act, we'll keep selling the next potentially disastrous plant, putting our bushland and protected areas at risk.' 🌼 Imported flower escalating $5 billion threat in Australia 🌳 Woman's 'incredible' 500-year-old discovery hidden behind invasive weed 🌸 Desperate plea over invasive plant threatening 'beauty' of Australia Anyone who finds Spanish moss in their garden is encouraged to remove it, even if they don't live near bushland. 'It can be removed by hand, though this can be difficult on tall trees,' Dr Booth said. 'Herbicides may also work, but there's a risk they could harm the tree it's growing on — so mechanical removal is the safer option where possible.' Residents who are unable to extract the plant themselves can contact their local council for advice. Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@ You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube.
