Biological control of gorse

Summary

​Gorse, Ulex europaeus L., is a Weed of National Significance and one of the most invasive weeds in south-eastern Australia. The annual cost of gorse management to Australian agricultural and forest industries in 2000 was estimated at $7 million. The difficulty and expense in controlling gorse has resulted in biocontrol options being investigated. The gorse soft shoot moth shows considerable promise as a natural control of the weed, but its distribution is mostly limited to Tasmania. To help the moth establish and spread, more than 25,000 gorse soft shoot moths were collected from Tasmanian sites where it is abundant, and released by farmers, land managers, scientists and community volunteers in four States. Monitoring of release sites across south-eastern Australia provided valuable information on factors such as plant condition and rainfall, that help the moth survive and flourish. Further research into the combined impact of insects and naturally occurring fungi are recommended following observations of plant death. These efforts provide the best chance of providing long-term sustainable management of gorse infestations in Australia.