Exploring agents of change to peri-urban weed management

Aims

This project aims to undertake a social research study in the Upper Murrumbidgee catchment, targeting rural lifestyle landowners, to determine the drivers to land use change in relation to invasive weeds. The results from this research will provide important input to weed management strategies and aid in the development of efficient methods for surveying and eradicating emergent weeds.

Background

Rural lifestyle landowners are a key stakeholder in future landscape management, and can be viewed as potential threats or possible allies in natural resource management (Hollier at. al. 2004). Lack of knowledge, different values and time limitations combine to make rural lifestyle landowners a potential source of increased emergent weeds, weed spread and general poor land management (Aslin & Mazur 2005). However, rural lifestyle landowners are also typically well educated, have high incomes and value natural landscapes (Buxton et. al. 2006).

Aslin & Mazur (2005) have noted that rural lifestyle landowners have been identified as a potential bio-security risk group, and that concerns have been expressed about how information and awareness campaigns are reaching this part of the rural population. One of the most common bio-security risks associated with this segment of the rural community is the risk of introducing and spreading weeds. It is important that weed management strategies, and efficient methods for surveying and eradicating emergent weeds consider lifestyle/peri-urban lands and the different values, culture and knowledge levels of rural lifestyle landowners.

There have been a number of social studies undertaken on peri-urban areas (Aslin & Mazur, 2005; Hollier et. al. 2004; Buxton et. al. 2006; Mackenzie et. al. 2006; Curtis et. al. 2000). These studies have, however, focused on developing a broader understanding of natural resource management issues. There is little social data on rural lifestyle landowners in relation to weeds and land use of rural lifestyle landowners in areas of the Upper Murrumbidgee catchment
 

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