Move to educate tourists on 'plant hygiene'

This is Sandy (not Steve, usually ad that at the end but people seem to miss it)

Found this article while reading news online from WA, thought it was interesting!

Scientists have embarked on a campaign in Western Australia to educate travellers about what they call plant hygiene.

The campaign has been launched to raise awareness among travellers of the threat posed by invasive weeds to WA's native bush.

The Cooperative Research Centre for Australian Weed Management believes holiday-makers are often responsible for the spread of invasive weeds.

Chief executive officer Rachel McFadyen is urging travellers to clean their camping gear, clothes and vehicles before they travel to new locations.

"It depends how much people value the bush, doesn't it really? It's not a problem if you've been on sealed roads or good gravel roads the whole time," she said.

"The problem comes if you've gone off road, pushing through vegetation, picking up seed that comes in there."

The centre cites a case in the Kimberley where campers are suspected of introducing one of Queensland's worst weeds, the rubber vine, to 270 hectares around the Fitzroy River.

Dr McFadyen says seeds and plant fragments can be easily carried in vehicles, camping equipment and clothing.

"Basically people should clean up their trailers - particularly if they've been through mud or pushing through vegetation on dirt roads or off-track, they should clean the vehicles up before they move from one area to another."

Sandy