Green Army volunteers experienced true ‘hands on’ weed control last week while hand chipping African Lovegrass on an organic farm at Thurgoona.

African lovegrass is a hardy, drought tolerant perennial grass species. In some countries it is regarded as valuable but in Australia it is regarded as a weed due to its low feed quality and acceptance by livestock. It has been creeping in to regional farm land and is recognisable by its clumping habit. Team leader Kim Radnell commented on the size of the clumps found onsite, with some reaching waist-high.

Seven Green Army volunteers spent a day hand chipping the weed at the National Environment Centre (NEC, Riverina TAFE) in Thurgoona. Hand chipping is an effective, if labour intensive, way of controlling African lovegrass, especially in a situation such as this where agriultural chemicals are not used.

The weed removal was part of a mutual trade for learning space at the NEC earlier in the Green Army program. We thank the National Environment Centre for their ongoing support with training programs such as this.