Arum lily invasion threatens SW wildflowers

Toby Inlet Catchment Group members fear the Capes region will soon lose its native wildflowers because of the invasion of the arum lily.

The group said the weed had already invaded many properties in Busselton and Dunsborough and not enough was being done to control it.

Toby Inlet Catchment Group founder and member Pauline Clay said if something wasn't done the region could soon lose many endemic species of flora and fauna as a result.

"I'm worried our native flowers and shrubs will soon become extinct, if they haven't already," she said.

"Particularly the endemic species and once they are gone, they are gone forever.

"It's not only the plants we have to worry about, but as these plant invade and kill the other plants around it, native wildlife will lose their source of food and habitat."

The _Times _ reported last month that Yallingup Siding residents had already taken steps in helping to prevent the spread of the weed.

The arum lily is highly invasive, is a declared pest in WA and is widespread in the South West region.

Mrs Clay said the weeds had worsened in the last few years with development across the region.

"The developers don't do anything about the problem and the weeds flower and then the birds eat them and then spread the seeds, and the problem only gets worse," she said.

"The City of Busselton and developers need to ensure spraying is done to keep the weeds down so we don't lose our native flora."

City of Busselton director of planning and development services Paul Needham said the arum lily was a significant problem in the City of Busselton.

"Such weeds are present on private land, on land managed by the Department of Parks and Wildlife, on land managed by other State Government agencies and on the much less significant areas of land managed by the City," he said.

"All landowners and managers have a responsibility to manage environmental and agricultural weeds on their own land."

A spokeswoman from the Department of Parks and Wildlife said the arum lily was widespread across the South West.

"The Department of Parks and Wildlife undertakes weed control on the land it manages through a prioritisation process, with a focus on weeds considered to be high impact, rapidly invasive and still at a population size that can be feasibly eradicated or contained to a manageable size," she said.

"This means that weed species which are already widespread, such as the arum lily, and for which the likelihood of control is low, are not ranked as a high priority."

For more information about the arum lily or other weeds, contact the Toby Inlet Catchment Group on 0407 446 610.