emuRadio National today reported on new research from Griffith University about the potential of horses to spread weeds in national parks. The Griffith University findings were published in the journal Ecological Management and Restoration.

Researchers found that weeds germinate from dung and are spread by activities like riding.

Researchers looked at the number and type of weeds that are spread through horse manure and found that 16 of the plants were listed noxious weeds in Australia.

Associate Professor Catherine Pickering says governments around Australia should take heed of her team’s findings before opening national parks to horse riding.

She said that researchers had examined 15 studies from around the world and found many weeds germinate in horse manure, enabling their spread.

They also found that horses cause disturbance by trampling the ground, further helping weeds to thrive.

In a ‘nothing to see here, move along’ response, the former president of the Mountain Cattlemen’s Association of Victoria, Mark Coleman, said horses are not solely to blame, as many other native and introduced species also spread weeds. In response, Ms Pickering pointed out that native animals are not generally grazing in pasture – which is where the weeds are being introduced from.

He says riding horses in national parks can actually help control weeds (yeah, ok, would you like to elaborate on that one Mark?)

And in another strange twist in the ‘blame someone else’ strategy, Mr Coleman said ‘other native and introduced species also spread weeds’.

“With the introduction of blackberry into Australia, which is a horrific weed, you couldn’t get a better spread of blackberry than the emu, followed probably by the deer.”

“We were still the eyes and ears of these areas and once we were removed you remove man out of management” he said. Does that mean that all park rangers and other land managers are women? Or are they some strange form of alien? Or perhaps there is just no land management in our national parks …. that may come as some surprise to many of you