Reaching the Inaccessible: Ludwigia peruviana

How to treat an outbreak of a prohibited invasive weed that can’t be accessed by land? Ausecology knew it was time to get creative!

Peruvian primrose (Ludwigia peruviana) is a prohibited invasive weed that destroys habitats and has wreaked havoc across waterways in NSW. Recently detected in areas of Southeast Queensland, this fast-growing shrub quickly out-competes native flora and ruins wetland habitats. When an outbreak of Peruvian primrose was found, we knew we had to act quickly… but we had one problem. Using vehicles or personnel to spray the weed carried the risk of propagating the seeds to other locations, further spreading this highly dangerous weed into our vulnerable ecosystem.

The Ausecology team is no stranger to treating weeds and staff are also trained in vehicle wash downs and other measures to prevent unwanted spread of flora. However, when dealing with a species like this, the risk of something being missed was too great. Entering the site by ground was simply not an option. This is when we contacted Vortex Drones. Specialising in seeding, spreading, and spraying all from a 90kg aerial drone, we had found a way to approach the Peruvian primrose without risking contact with its seeds.

With over 40 hectares that needed to be sprayed to deal with the infestation, we had our work cut out for us. The first step was marking the area. With the help of Vortex, we mapped out the area with a small drone. From there, a topography map was made, which we then marked with areas that needed to be targeted, while carefully avoiding areas that risked runoff or would kill non-target species.

Due to limited site access, only a few launch locations could be accessed by vehicle. From these areas, the drone could launch and land for pit stops, efficiently covering the site in just a matter of days without any personnel or vehicles needing to physically enter the high-risk areas. Since Ludwigia peruviana is still a relatively new species to Queensland, we hope our resourceful solution proves effective. In a few weeks, the site will be resurveyed to assess how much of the Ludwigia remains and determine the next steps.

Sometimes complex problems require a little thinking outside the box, and at Ausecology, we’re no strangers to finding new ways to get the job done. From reaching inaccessible weeds to working in any terrain, we bring practical solutions to any project. Contact us to find out how our people-powered, experience-driven approach to environmental management is perfect for your project.