What are weeds and pests telling us?
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By Kim Deans
It is a common reaction to respond to pests or weeds by asking “how do I get rid of them?” When we focus time, energy and resources getting rid of the pest or weed we don’t want there are always consequences from these actions that pop up somewhere else. The effects of pesticides are not limited to the pest alone.
“When one tugs at a single thing in nature, he finds it attached to the rest of the world” John Muir
In the process of killing the insect pests we often kill beneficial insects as well, reducing the populations of insects that help to keep pests under control. In the process of killing the weed, we kill the life in the soil that depend on plants. We leave the ground bare or covered with dead plants that are no longer photosynthesising and create the perfect conditions for the plants we don’t want to continue to thrive. We take out the insects and plants that feed the birds and other animals in the ecosystem that naturally help keep the pest populations in check. We end up on the treadmill of being at war against weeds and pests, waking up every day focusing on what we are going to kill.
We are farming, grazing and gardening within complex, non-linear natural processes that are designed to support life. We can choose to fight against these, or we can choose to work with them. This is easier said than done, it requires a complete shift in our perspective from seeing weeds or pests as a problem. Instead of seeing them as something we must eliminate, and signs we are a “bad” farmer, working with them requires us to ask different questions. How is my management creating this issue? What are these plants or pests telling me about the soil or the ecosystem? What role does this plant or pest fulfill in nature?
I find it way more interesting and enjoyable to approach pests and weeds as a learning opportunity, rather than just find something to get rid of them. Here are some of the ways I approach this as a learning opportunity and use it to inform management decisions:
Accurately identify the pest or weed. This is essential, there may be biosecurity requirements, and some weeds can be toxic. This is important to know before you decide on a course of action.
Get to know your pest or weed: research the lifecycle of the pest or the weed. What conditions help it thrive? Are there any potential benefits? Observe the problem in the field and look for patterns.
Consider the paddock history and how your management might be contributing to the problem.
Establish baselines through monitoring so you have data to inform decisions instead of emotion. This is often overlooked but it is incredibly useful. Once we focus our attention on the pest or plant that is a problem, our brain filters information according to our focus and we will be more likely to notice it, which can cloud our judgement.
Develop a holistic, integrated strategy that takes more than one approach. Use what you understand about the pest or weed; its lifecycle and the role it plays in nature to inform your strategy and timings.
“Once a species has established itself in a community, we are better off managing for the health of the whole community.” – Allan Savory
Whether we choose to focus on bringing landscapes to life, or we choose to focus on what we are going to kill, makes a huge difference to how we feel about what we do, and the results we create.
Want to learn more? I deliver workshops that equip participants with a practical understanding of how to use this process in relation to weed management. Once you learn the process you can apply it to other pest challenges as well. We explore the reasons weeds grow, some specific things to look at in the field, simple monitoring practices and we explore alternative management and control options. The best thing about these workshops is the conversations they spark and the shared observations that we all learn from.
You can also download my free guide to Weeds as Indicators
Contact me if you want to learn more about how to organise a workshop or if you would prefer to work with me 1:1 to explore this further.