James Cook University and the Cassowary Coast Regional Council have united to fight one of the nation's most invasive weeds.

University researchers have been mapping and modelling in the Cassowary Coast region and the results of their work, undertaken in conjunction with Cassowary Coast Regional Council staff, have been published in the Journal of Biological Invasions.

Council has upgraded its pest management strategies to combat olive hymenachne since the mapping and modelling work by university researchers, who drew on data compiled by Council's field officers.

Cassowary Coast Regional Council's natural resource management coordinator Damon Sydes said the modelling work, which takes into account hymenache sightings, soil types and regional eco-systems among other things, had enabled pest controllers to direct their limited resources to the best areas for overall control of the weed.

"Streams and wetlands have been identified...these are the areas that can be starting points for the control program and the areas identified as the best spots when it comes to overall catchment results,'' Mr Sydes said.

"The results of the report will also help us to attract long-term funding for restoration work on both public and private land.''

Olive hymenachne is a semi-aquatic grass, classified as a Weed of National Significance because of its invasiveness and its environmental and economic impacts. Hymenachne was originally planted as dry season cattle fodder. It has since invaded natural wetlands and sugar cane land. The weed blocks waterways, causes flooding and contaminates sugar cane crops, freshwater fisheries and conservation areas.

The Cassowary Coast project was funded by the Weeds of National Significance Program and supported by the Hymenachne Working Group and Far North Queensland Regional Organisation of Councils.

The project was undertaken in the Tully-Murray catchment. Mr Sydes said the information and methods would be applied to other catchments in the region.

"We will also be drawing on the methods when looking at coupling management actions such as land rehabilitation and pest management to benefit in-stream habitat and downstream water quality of waterways flowing to the Great Barrier Reef,'' he said.

Media contacts: Julie Lightfoot (CCRC): 4043 8833 or ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies' This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .