From: Dale & Martin Morgan [dmor7317@bigpond.net.au]
Sent: Tuesday, 7 October 2003 10:43 AM
To: ECITA, Committee (SEN)
Subject: public submission Invasive species

PUBLIC SUBMISSION to the Federal Senate Environment Communications, Information Technology and the Arts, References Committee with regard to the establishment and inquiry into the regulation, control and management of invasive species and the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Amendment (Invasive
Species) Bill 2002.

From
Dale Morgan
Convenor of Mullum Mullum Creek Bushcare Group
PO box 290 Ringwood 3134
dmor7317@bigpond.net.au
03 9870 1060

I wish to make a submission from my own experiences with invasive species. As a member of a friends group, working with our core of 15 volunteers in a suburban area, we spend our time pulling out invasive weeds. These weeds have happened here direct from adjacent home gardens. They were originally purchased from plant nurseries. Weeds such as English Ivy, Tradescantia, Morning glory, Ash trees, Forget me nots, cape ivy. The list goes on and every so often a new species appears over the fence. Our group firmly believes that nurseries should not be allowed to sell plant species that are invasive by nature.

The loss of habitat from weed infestation is at critical point. On a local level in a suburban area we see small pockets of remnant vegetation disappear under blankets of weed all the time. The resources to rescue this genetic material are just not there. We are losing our diversity of plant material for all time. This plant material is the remnant of the indigenous plants that once were, they are the plant history of a region. Volunteers put there hands up to do what they can when they can no longer stand by and watch the destruction but it is not enough, we need the help of Government Legislation to curb the introduction of new weeds. We need committed Government to be forward thinking. We will have these weeds forever, I believe, and forever we will have to fight to retain our indigenous flora and fauna, but 'where there is a will there is a way'!

Yours sincerely
Mrs Dale Morgan