Bamboo, convolvulus and jasmine have taken over parts of Lake Te Koo Utu’s steep banks.
The weed growth in Cambridge is generating concern within the community, Community Services manager Brad Ward told the Service Delivery committee this week.
Bamboo has shot up at Lake Te Koo Utu marring views along the Camellia Track. Photo: Mary Anne Gill.
Staff do not have the resources to manage the weed creep so the areas will be incorporated into a Vegetation Management Plan currently being developed as part of a concept plan implementation.
Meanwhile talks are underway between the council and iwi over the design and implementation of a waharoa (gateway) at the Albert Street entrance to the lake.
It is another type of weed causing concern in northern Cambridge where alligator weed has been found in the Appleby Road stormwater reserve.
Waikato Regional Council has responsibility for the control and remove of the noxious weed, known as alternanthera philoxeroides.
It poses a major threat to ecosystems because of the adverse effects on both aquatic and terrestrial environments.
The weed joins Dutch Elm disease as a concern for council staff.
A tree on private property in Te Awamutu, was found to have the fungal disease in February.
It is caused by a species of fungus and is almost always deadly. Infected trees must be removed to prevent the disease spreading further.
Council arborist planner James Richardson has helped develop a standard operating procedure and distributed it to all arborists known to operate in the district.
The council has more than 250 elm trees it maintains in parks and streets. Staff will be monitoring and assessing them regularly to identify any trees with the disease early and manage any actions required.
Alligator weed has been found in Appleby Road, northern Cambridge. Photo: Waikato Regional Council.
