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Ivy (Hedera helix) is regarded as a significant environmental weed in Victoria, the ACT, South Australia, New South Wales and Tasmania.

The Dandenong Ranges

The Impact

Beautiful tall eucalypts and tree ferns in the Dandenong Ranges

The Dandenong Ranges, to the east of Melbourne, is one of the most beautiful areas in Australia. Scenic roads and walking tracks meander through towering Mountain Ash and crystal clear streams trickle through beautiful fern gullies. 

 

In this magnificent forest, majestic trees tower into the skies and exquisite tree-ferns rise above a range of unique native plants.

This stunning area provides a critical home to an array of spectacular birds, flora and fauna.

 

Every year, over 3 million tourists come to the region of the Dandenong Ranges and Yarra Valley.  However, these precious ranges are under serious threat from environmental weeds,

and in particular, English Ivy.                                   

Dandenong Ranges Invasive Ivy

The impact of Ivy

Invasive ivy overtaking a tree fern in the Dandenong Ranges

In just over ten years, ivy has spread from a few small sites at the edge of roads, to almost every road throughout the Ranges. The number of trees now impacted amounts into the thousands and the spread into the forest is increasing daily. This is having a significant impact on the native flora and fauna.

 

  • Ivy deprives native wildlife of their habitat and food sources

  • Ivy covers nesting hollows in trees and ground sites threatening the habitat of the Superb Lyrebird, gliders and nesting birds

  • Ivy destroys the beauty of native trees, covering unique bark patterns

  • Ivy prevents native trees from essential bark shedding leading to disease

  • Ivy prevents valuable rainfall reaching the crowns of ferns and tree ferns.

 

IVY  KILLS  TREES!

Invasive ivy destroying the beauty of eucalypt trees

Our aim

Declare English ivy a serious invasive plant pest.

The aim, with the Ivy Project, is:

 

  • To raise public awareness of Hedera Helix (English Ivy) and its extremely invasive nature

 

  • To prevent further infiltration of Hedera Helix (English Ivy) in the Dandenong Ranges National Park

 

  • To have Hedera Helix (English Ivy)

  1. Listed as a Declared Plant Pest in all States

  2. Listed on the State Prohibited Weeds register

  3. Listed on all State Noxious Weed registers

  4. Listed on the National Environmental Alert list

  5. Declared as a Weed of National Significance (WoNS)

 

  • To have the sale of Hedera Helix (English Ivy) banned from garden centres and plant venues

 

 

We would like to acknowledge the Wurundjeri people who are the Traditional Custodians of this Land

and to pay respect to the Elders both past and present of the Kulin Nation and extend that respect to other

Indigenous Australians.

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