Weed management on Council land
Weeds have major economic, environmental and social impacts across our country, causing damage to natural landscapes, agricultural lands, waterways and coastal areas.
In the Local Government area of Brisbane there are weed impacts across many areas, including and not limited to:
- parks
- garden beds
- natural areas
- road areas (verges, shoulders and reserves)
- pathways
- sports fields
- around public swimming pool complexes, golf courses, cemeteries and quarries.
How Council manages weeds
Brisbane City Council’s weed management program is aimed at keeping Brisbane clean and green.
To do this Council uses a range of integrated weed management techniques, including:
- Using herbicides (spot, broadscale selective and broadscale non-selective)
These are used by trained operatives in line with label recommendations, relevant safety controls and only for targeted weed control - Mulching
Application of mulch to smother the weeds - Competitive planting
Planting of other species to out-compete the weeds - Hand weeding
Manually removing weeds by hand - Biological control
Controlling weeds by using other organisms or natural mechanisms.
Council continually engages with industry partners to ensure the various weed management approaches undertaken by Council are safe.
Herbicide Use Review
In July 2019, Council completed a Herbicide Use Review (including the use of Glyphosate) as part of its commitment to best practice.
View the:
The review was provided to the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA), for its consideration.
The APVMA is a Federal Government body responsible for the assessment and registration of herbicide products and their uses.
APVMA Chief Executive Officer Dr. Chris Parker wrote to Council on 26 August 2019 reaffirming its position that glyphosate, when used in accordance with the label instructions, does not pose a cancer risk to humans and is unlikely to have harmful effects on human beings or the environment. Dr. Parker also commended Council on its responsible approach to the use of glyphosate products.
Council will continue to monitor and follow the recommendations of the APVMA.
You can also view:
Council’s integrated weed management program includes the selection of the safest herbicide available for the purpose required and the use of best practice techniques by the operators applying the herbicides.
More information
For more information about weed management you can contact Council or visit: