Port Stephens Council's proactive approach to managing weeds across the local government area has been recognised with an environment award.
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The council's innovative model for prioritising and managing weeds was recognised in the Local Government NSW Excellence in the Environment Awards held in Sydney on Tuesday, December 3.
The awards recognise outstanding achievements by local government in managing and protecting the environment.
"It's great that our proactive approach to managing invasive species has been recognised as leading the way for other councils," Steve Peart, Port Stephens Council's strategy and environment section manager, said.
"Once you start to learn why plants like African Olive, Chinese Violet and Giant Salvinia are considered a biosecurity risk, it's alarming how often you'll recognise them lurking in the local environment.
"We know that councils have limited resources to fight the war on weeds. With 2700 introduced species to Australia, there are always going to be more weeds than there are resources.
"That's why our model ensures that efforts are focused on managing the most significant weeds while maximising efficiency. It helps us work out what time and resources we'll need to make a real difference on the ground.
"This award is a fantastic achievement for our invasive species team and will help council continue its innovative work in fighting the war on weeds."