Economic Issues in the Management of Plants Invading Natural Environments: Scotch Broom in Barrington Tops National Park

Doreen Odem, Jack A. Sinden, Oscar Cacho and Garry R. Griffith

No 58193, 2003 Conference (47th), February 12-14, 2003, Fremantle, Australia from Australian Agricultural and Resource Economics Society

Abstract: Scotch broom (Cytisus scoparius, L.), is an exotic leguminous shrub, native to Europe, which invades pastoral and woodland ecosystems and adjoining river systems in cool, high rainfall regions of southeastern Australia. Broom has invaded 10,000 hectares of eucalypt woodland at Barrington Tops National Park in New South Wales, and is having a major impact on the natural ecology of the sub-alpine environment. It is extremely competitive with the native flora, retarding their growth and in many areas blanketing the ground and preventing growth of many understorey species in open forest areas. An active program to manage this invasion is being implemented by the National Parks and Wildlife Service. The management issues include whether eradication or containment is economically desirable, and when biological control is economically desirable. Management choices depend on the marginal costs of increments of government intervention, effects of uncertain budgets on the control of broom, choice of control measures and effects of uncertain values of biodiversity. These issues are addressed through the application of a detailed bioeconomic model of broom management.

Keywords: Environmental; Economics; and; Policy (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 29
Date: 2003-02
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:ags:aare03:58193

DOI: 10.22004/ag.econ.58193

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