WMSSA Events and Activities

The WMSSA holds and contributes to a number of events including public meetings, workshops and conferences. The Society also undertakes other activities aimed at raising awareness of weeds, their impacts and best practice management and behaviours. This page provides details for the following activities:

• Public Meetings
• Workshops
• Conferences
• Other Activities

Public Meetings

Public meetings are held approximately every two months in Adelaide at various venues. The meetings are free of charge and are open to all members of the public. Members of the WMSSA are informed of public meetings via an email network and the Society's newsletter WeedWise. If you would to suggest a discussion topic for a public meeting or would like to make a presentation, please email us at info@wmssa.org.au

Next Public Meeting

Second South Australian Weeds Conference

Past Public Meetings

The Society has been fortunate enough to have had local, national and international experts deliver interesting and informative presentations at public meetings. Topics have included:

• Early detection systems for weeds
• The community perspective on environmental weed management
• Climate change in natural and agricultural systems: What might it mean for weeds?
• Stories from Europe - New directions in weed management
• Management of Opuntia species and Wheel Cactus
• Plants, weeds and cultural change - the environment and introduced plants since Roman times
• Adelaide’s Botanic Gardens - plant collections, current research and weed issues
• California and southern Australia: similar climates but why different weed problems?
• Aquatic weeds and their impact
• Computer assisted weed management - computer modelling of weed invasions in South Australia
• The future of Regional Weed Management in South Australia
• Fire for weed and native vegetation management
• Significant parasitic weeds - a focus on Orobanche ramosa
• World developments in spray application technology
• New techniques to control weeds - current research at Roseworthy
• Control of plant invasions: win (a few), lose (many) and draw (a lot more)
• The threat of new weeds
• Weeds for sale - how to solve the problem of invasive garden plants
• Herbicide resistant crops - the risks and benefits
• Australian natives as weeds!
• Successes and failures against weeds
• Biocontrol - What's new?

Workshops

Perennial Grass Weeds Workshop

In February 2004, the WMSSA hosted its first workshop at the Waite Institute. The South Australian Perennial Grass Weeds Workshop was a great success with over 140 attendees. A diverse range of issues were discussed and there was lively debate amongst particpants. A summary of the workshop was published in March 2004 edition of WeedWise. The workshop papers also were published as a special issue of Plant Protection Quarterly.

Conferences

2nd SA Weeds Conference (2nd SAWC)

WMSSA invites everyone with an interest in weed management to the 2nd SAWC which will be held at the Plant Research Centre, Waite Campus on 18 & 19 May 2010. The conference aims to cater for all aspects of weed management in SA. It is a fantastic opportunity to catch up with your SA weed colleagues and make new acquaintances. Speakers will discuss many weed matters that we are sure you will find helpful to your weed control efforts and interests. The conference will be opened by the Minister for Environment and Conservation, The Hon.Paul Caica MP, who will present the WMSSA's Award for Excellence in Weed Management, and also launch a new DWLBC-commissioned report, by CSIRO's Darren Kriticos, into the impacts of climate change on pest species in South Australia. This will be followed by Darren Kriticos as our guest keynote speaker. On day two Rachel McFadyen, who has had an outstanding career in biological control, will open the interactive biocontrol session as our invited speaker. Other speakers will address a wide range of topics relevant to the great task of controlling weeds in South Australia.

To register, please download the registration form (PDF, 350 KB) and follow the instructions.

For further information, please download the conference program (PDF, 15 KB).

17th Australasian Weeds Conference

The New Zealand Plant Protection Society and the Council of Australasian Weed Societies are hosting this conference, to be held in Christchurch NZ on 26-30 September 2010.

Further information is available on the Conference website: www.17awc.org

Other Activities

WMSSA Information Stalls at Garden Shows and Festivals

The WMSSA has always looked to promote weed awareness through stalls and information displays at various environment related public events. WMSSA members have been active participants at these events, helping set up and attend stalls at various environmental and garden expos and festivals.

WMSSA provides information on common garden plants with the potential to escape from cultivation, and recommends suitable alternative species that can be grown instead of the weedy species.

Stalls at these shows attract a number of interested people. Many are quite surprised that some of the plants that they might have in their garden are environmental weeds! Having displays at these sorts of events has raised awareness amongst Adelaide gardeners that not every plant is a friendly one and garden thugs continue to be planted to the detriment of our native bushland. Many thanks to everyone involved in organising and setting up the displays and the volunteers who help on the stalls and answer questions and provide advice to members of the public.

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