If the snow left you with fallen trees or branches and you can't get to the waste facility, TeamARC will collect green waste from your kerbside on your usual collection day.
Weeds are more than just unwanted plants—they are aggressive invaders that disrupt ecosystems, damage agriculture, threaten human and animal health, and cost the Australian economy billions of dollars each year. Many of these species were introduced from overseas and, free from natural predators, have flourished in our environment. They spread rapidly, often through wind, water, or wildlife, and can cause serious issues such as allergies, asthma, blocked waterways, and reduced biodiversity. Effective weed control requires long-term commitment and a combination of strategies, including manual removal, herbicides, biological agents, and community awareness. Some characteristics which result in weeds becoming a problem include:
Weeds can grow faster, out-compete desirable plants and use up precious water, nutrients, sunlight and space. For example, paterson’s curse in pastures.
Certain weeds can cause injury to livestock. For example, the sharp spines of the boxthorn.
Some plants are poisonous to livestock and humans. For example, green cestrum can be lethal to both humans and livestock. st. john’s wort contains hypericin which makes animals sensitive to light.
Blackberry can provide shelter for rabbits and other pestanimals. Other weeds may carry plant diseases. For example, ox-eye daisy canhost a virus which damages potatoes.
Wool can be contaminated by the seeds of many a weed species such as bathurst burr. The presence of burr and vegetable matter leads to a downgrading of the fleece. When animals eat wild garlic, their milk and meat becomes tainted. This subsequently lowers the values of these products, even making them unsaleable.
Humans can be allergic to different types of weeds. Some people develop skin reactions after being in contact with st. johns’ wort or rhus tree. Parthenium weed is known to cause dermatitis problems in humans.
Some plants, such as pampas grass, are serious fire hazards particularly when dried out.
Some weeds make cultivation difficult by becoming entangled in machinery and preventing efficient harvesting. Blackberry and privet can form impenetrable barriers to stock.
Some weeds are very good competitors and shade other plants. The problem occurs when the weed dies off over summer, leaving the ground bare and prone to erosion eg. patterson’s’ curse.
Plants which you simply don’t like or want can beregarded as weeds. They may be interrupting a view, crowding bushland or other desirable species, have an offensive odour or be generally causing problems where they exist, for example water hyacinth, salvinia or blackberry.