I hope this newsletter reaches you after an enjoyable festive season and some holiday time.

We are back into the swing of work at the Eyre Peninsula Landscape Board including having our draft regional landscape plan now open for feedback.

During the review of the plan last year, we heard that our existing priorities were close to what was expected for the landscape board to focus on given what the Landscape Act allows us to do.

One emerging theme was for more of a focus on healthy coasts which led us to amending the existing priority of ‘biodiversity’ to ‘land and coastal biodiversity’ which would see us protect and enhance land and coastal ecosystems to recover threatened species and build ecosystem resilience.

Our other priorities remain similar, and it was generally agreed through feedback that ‘action to adapt to a changing climate and reduce emissions’ will be part of all priorities.

The five updated priorities are:

• Water: Sustainable, climate responsive management of watercourses, wetlands and groundwater to improve condition and support productive uses
• Primary production: Protect and maintain soil health and land condition to enable productive, adaptive and sustainable primary production
• Land and coastal biodiversity: Protect and enhance land and coastal ecosystems to recover threatened species and build ecosystem resilience
• Pest plants and animals: Reduce the impacts of pest plants and animals on biodiversity and primary production, and prevent new invasive species from establishing
• Collaboration and partnerships: Work together to deliver programs and empower communities to sustainably manage natural resources

Thank you to everyone who helped to shape the draft plan. I now encourage you to take a look at the draft and give us your feedback on it by February 15. This can be done via a survey on a YourSAy page which has all the details about the draft plan.
The plan will come into effect on 1 July this year.

In the meantime, we continue to work with the community, stakeholders and partners on a varied range of local landscape issues and priorities. This newsletter highlights a few key areas of work happening at the moment.

All the best,
Jonathan Clark

General Manager,
Eyre Peninsula Landscape Board

Each year we fund around $100,000 of community projects through our Grassroots Grants program.

The grants – up to $15,000 each - are for projects that focus on at least one of our landscape management priorities, which will be finalised once the draft Regional Landscape Plan for 2026 to 2031 is approved.

This year’s Grassroots Grants program will likely open in April. Keep an eye on our website and socials for more details.

There are a number of priority weeds that grow during summer.

Weeds to be on the lookout for include:

• Buffel grass – appears green while other vegetation has dried off, is our highest priority weed to control. Report sightings to us.
• Fountain grass and African lovegrass – germinate and set seed quickly after summer rain with long green stems and coloured heads (purple flower heads for Fountain grass and dark brown/black seed heads for African lovegrass).
• Silverleaf nightshade – part of the tomato family, it produces purple flowers and is easily spread by seed, can also be toxic to animals.
• Caltrop and Khaki weed – burrs can get stuck in tyres and seeds spread easily.

What to do if you find these weeds growing in your yard? Take a look at our factsheets on our pest plants page, for recommended methods of control. If you notice these weeds growing on verges or public spaces outside your property boundaries, notify your local Council.

If you have any queries about control methods, or need contact details for a pest control contractor who can assist you, get in touch with your closest landscape board office or refer to the Department of Primary Industries and Regions weed information.

We’re looking for Eyre Peninsula landholders keen to be part of upcoming aerial goat control programs.

Feral goats are on the rise across EP and are a major cause of land degradation through overgrazing - so we’re teaming up with landholders to get on top of the problem.

Interested?
Email us on EPLBadmin@sa.gov.au or get in touch with your nearest Landscape Officer.

Our southern landscape officers have been helping the community with feral rabbit control during summer. Summer can be an ideal time to control feral rabbits as feed is scarce for them.

Board meetings
Our Board meets five times a year. Members of the community are welcome to attend as observers. If you would like to attend or make a presentation at any of the upcoming meetings, please contact ep.landscapeboard@sa.gov.au.

The first meeting for 2026 will be held in Kimba on February 24. See our Board page for all of this year’s meeting dates and locations. 

Early notice: fox bait distribution days (February-April)
Foxes cause a lot of damage to native animals as well as livestock. We encourage landholders to bait for foxes, especially in autumn. We will be holding fox bait distribution days across EP in February to April. 

Dates set so far for: Smoky Bay & Mudamuckla (Feb 19), Elliston (Feb 26), Goode, Kyancutta, Charra & Warramboo (March 3), Poochera and Wirrulla (March 4), Calca, Inkster & Chandada (March 3), Minnipa & Mt Damper (March 6), Penong & Wudinna (March 10), Haslam & Streaky Bay (March 12).

See our events page for more details or follow us on socials to see when all dates are announced.

• The Eyre Peninsula Landscape Board region extends from Whyalla in the east, along the Gawler Ranges in the north, to the edge of the Nullarbor Plain in the west. There are eight offices within the region. Want to get in touch with us? See our contact page for your nearest office.
   
• Need to check your stock water? We offer free salinity & pH testing for landholders.
   
• Landholders have responsibility for controlling declared pest plants across the EP. See our pest plant page to find out more about the priority pest plants in our region and control options.
   
• Spot a feral deer, fox, rabbit, cat, goat or wild dog? Report your sighting on FeralScan. See our pest animal page for more details including management plans.
   
• Undertaking works on an existing or new water source? Our Water Affecting Activities page has permit information including application forms and factsheets. We also have a guide for siting, design, construction and management of EP dams and other resources for managing on-farm water.
   
• Find out what is happening across statewide landscape management on the Landscapes SA website or subscribe to the statewide newsletter to hear news from across the state.