Chilean Needle Grass (CNG), a pest weed of national significance, is an invasive grass that threatens native grasslands and grazing pasture.

Due to its prolific nature, it can have major economic impacts on farmers and the environment.

To contain CNG, Council and Natural Resources staff have been working closely together to manage it on the roadsides.

In the first survey for CNG conducted in 2010 100 per cent of sites monitored featured the plant, but now that figure has been reduced by 40 per cent.

Between 2014 and 2017 the number of high-density CNG sites reduced by 14 per cent.

The work undertaken to produce these results includes:

• Annual surveying and control work;
• A mowing program that fits in with the control work;
• Residents issued with conditional verge-mowing permits.

Other supporting activities include:

• Community awareness and education;
• Roadside signs;
• Free advice to landholders with weed identification and how best to control.

The ongoing success of this partnership has been a big win for the environment and ratepayers which has seen:

• Annual reductions in CNG densities and number of sites infested on roadsides;
• An increase of native grasses due to a change in the timing of mowing which has favoured native grass seed set.

Chilean Needle Grass is only one declared weed where the City of Playford is fulfilling Smart Service Delivery through sound weed management and effective partnerships, others we are working on include wild olives, Coolatai grass, wild artichoke and silverleaf nightshade.

More information on these and other weeds and their control can be found HERE. The page has fact sheets, videos, links to apps and a PIRSA weed-control handbook.