Abstract
Weed management has been likened to a
war â¿¿ the war on weeds. Whilst the concept
of a war has created a sense of unity,
supported by â¿¿propagandaâ¿¿ and emotive
language, the campaign has been far
from a success. In fact it has actually hampered
weed management by maintaining
a deep-seated emphasis on the act of killing
weeds, rather than on the outcome of
that killing â¿¿ an example of an outcome
might be the response of native species
that are threatened by a particular weed.
In order to increase the effectiveness of
weed management I argue that it is time
for a changing of the guard or a transition
from this so-called â¿¿war on weedsâ¿¿ to a
new approach: one that is focused on the
outcome, which is not a war. Whilst an
outcome-orientated weed management
system is not new, i.e. it has already been
used in a few specific cases, it is distinctly
different from the concept of a war, and
more in line with the broader objectives
of many weed management programs. In
order to transition to an outcome-orientated
weed management system several
challenges need to be overcome, specifically
around establishing appropriate
goals and monitoring weed management
programs. In addition we need to ensure
policy is aligned with management and
research. Lastly, some deeply entrenched
individual and institutional views on
weed management need to be overcome.
None of the challenges outlined pose a
significant barrier to a transition to an
outcome-orientated approach. Given the
failure of the war on weeds it is now time
to make such a transition.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 86-91 |
Number of pages | 6 |
Journal | Plant Protection Quarterly |
Volume | 26 |
Issue number | 3 |
Publication status | Published - 2011 |