The Chair of the National Parks and Wildlife Advisory Committee for the South Coast, Dr Kevin Mills has called on the community to support local efforts to rid the coast of a vigorous weed invading local beaches.
Dr Mills is a botanist and Chairman of the community based committee that advises the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) on community views of park management.
He has raised the alarm over the coastal weed Sea Spurge (Euphorbia paralias) which has been spreading along the east coast invading one beach after another.
"This seemingly innocent looking herbaceous plant originates from the Mediterranean and arrived on the east coast after being inadvertently introduced to Western and South Australia about 70 years ago, probably in ship's ballast. It arrived here around the mid 80s and has flourished," Dr Mills said.
Sea Spurge grows to approximately 70 centimetres in height, has multiple stems covered in small, closely packed leaves and is a blue/green colour.
Following recent surveys over the summer months, Dr Mills has reported to the Advisory Committee his concerns about the increase in the spread and abundance of Sea Spurge over the past decade.
"There are large populations of Sea Spurge on some beaches in the Shoalhaven and small populations on many beaches. A detailed survey of a large population on Monument Beach near Conjola National Park found the density of plants to be over 165,000 plants per hectare.
"Sea Spurge is becoming a weed of major concern in southern Australia, and is causing alarm in Western Australia, South Australia, Victoria and Tasmania. It has the capacity to cover entire beaches within a period of a few years.
"It may not be long before some of the south coast's most loved beaches are smothered by this weed, with each plant being able to produce up to 5,000 saltwater-tolerant seeds each year," Dr Mills said.
"Sea Spurge grows on ocean beaches, land that is often not the responsibility of any single government agency.
"Community groups such as the Friends of Durras have been doing a fantastic job on localised beaches but what is really needed is greater coordination across the region as seeds can be washed from beach to beach.
"The collective efforts of community groups such as Landcare and Dunecare, with assistance from Council and the NPWS, is the only way to beat Sea Spurge," he said.
Dr Mills recommends that Sea Spurge be declared a noxious weed in NSW in recognition of its negative impact on the natural environment as well as recreational activities.
"An added problem is that the milky sap from the plant is toxic and can cause severe eye irritations. Care needs to be taken not to touch the face during removal. Plants can be hand pulled, but people attempting to remove it must be properly equipped with rubber or plastic-coated gloves and good footwear.
"Because of its dense growth, the weed is a threat to shorebirds that nest on beaches, including endangered species, and to people's enjoyment of our beaches.
"We still have a good chance of beating this weed, if we act quickly," Dr Mills said.
Contact: Kevin Mills 4236 0620