The ACT Government will use a biocontrol agent to manage the invasive cactus plant Prickly Pear (Opuntia stricta) that has been detected in the Molonglo Gorge Nature Reserve.
Minister for the Environment Rebecca Vassarotti said Prickly Pear is a declared pest plant under the ACT’s Pest Plants and Animals Act 2005 and poses a serious threat to local ecosystems and landscapes.
“Prickly Pear is declared weed of National Significance in Australia and its detection at Molonglo Gorge ACT requires proven management techniques to ensure that it is eliminated,” Minister Vassarotti said.
“If left unchecked, an outbreak of Prickly Pear has the potential to form a dense impenetrable patch of shrubs with spines that can cause injury to native animals and wildlife, harbour pest animals and reduce land productivity.
“To address the outbreak, the ACT will use a cochineal insect (Dactylopius opuntiae) which specifically targets Prickly Pear. The use of a biocontrol agent has proved extremely successful in NSW and Victoria and significantly reduces the requirement for chemical treatments.
“Trials of these insects in Australia to effectively target Prickly Pear date back 90 years in Queensland. They are a proven, safe and successful biocontrol agent that will be hugely beneficial here in the ACT,” Minister Vassarotti said.
In the ACT Budget 2022-23, the government invested $5.8 million to protect, conserve and restore Canberra’s natural environment. This investment has strengthened the ACT’s biosecurity through expanding pest animal programs, including vertebrate and rabbit control and additional resources to undertake weed eradication work across the ACT.
“Invasive plants and animals pose a major threat to the ACT’s environment if they get a foothold. The government’s boost to biosecurity and weed eradication resources in the ACT’s 2023-24 budget ensures outbreaks such as Prickly Pear can be rapidly investigated and controlled.
“The trial of a biocontrol agent is a significant step towards eradicating the pest species in the ACT and I encourage all Canberrans to report possible sightings.”
