One of WA's most prominent philanthropists Janet Holmes a Court has helped fund a trial program on how to get rid of the arum lily in Boranup Forest, in WA's South West.
Each spring, large, white swathes of the toxic lily, which is deadly to livestock and chokes native plants, can be seen throughout the lower half of WA, from Geraldton to Augusta.
Nature Conservation Margaret River, which has reported the worsening infestation in Boranup karri forest, is running a privately funded control program on a 21-hectare test site.
Ms Holmes a Court said she supported the program because she dreaded the thought of the "absolutely spectacular" Boranup forest — one of her favourite local spots — being overrun by arums.
"The thought of it ending up like the Tuart Forest, with nothing growing in it apart from trees and arum lilies. would I think be just tragic," she said.
She said she was just one of small number of donors who supported the three-year project being run by local NRM group Nature Conservation Margaret River, which had already mobilised 800 private landowners to control the weed on their own properties.
A long battle
Nature Conservation Margaret River WA's Genevieve Hanran-Smith said while efforts to control the weed on private land were progressing well, she was concerned about lilies on land controlled by State Government — like Boranup forest.
"We fear if it's left uncontrolled that in the future we're going to end up with just a monoculture of arum lilies under karri trees, and it would be very sad to lose that beautiful area," she said.
"We would like the State Government to prioritise protection of the Boranup karri forest and to begin a well-planned, concerted and sustained arum lily control program now.
"Before the problem gets worse, the forest becomes irreversibly degraded, and the cost of control becomes prohibitive."
The Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions said it carried out arum control works on 10 spots within the Leeuwin-Naturaliste National Park, including the Boranup area.
"The Parks and Wildlife Service eradicates arums in areas of high conservation value and focuses on containing the weed in most areas," a spokesperson said.
Hope ahead
Ms Holmes a Court said she hoped the three-year trial program could show that the arum lily infestation was not insurmountable.
"To fund this eradication problem properly than it's necessary to have data, so we're really funding the collection of data, to show what can be achieved," she said.
"You could see where they had sprayed last year, already native plants returning.
"It's exciting to see native plants return so quickly."
