Kikuyu Grass - Pennisetum Clandestinum

Restored Area with native bush

Sprayed area where grass is killed ready for burning

Kikuyu grass area

Kikuyu grass is a perennial ground hugging grass. It is cultivated for pastures, lawns and playing fields and is a common weed of gardens and roadsides. Native to tropical east Afrika. Introduced to Montague at some time before 1960 to feed the fertile goats on the island that were put there to feed stranded fishermen and lighthousekeepers.

Kikuyu grass directly threatens the Little Penguin breeding success by blocking burrows and entangling birds.

It spreads by runners and forms dense matted infestations.

It's an ongoing project on the island to remove the grass and replace it with bush that is natural to the area primarily a native grass type called Lomandra - Longa folia. This native grass also has seed that aboriginals used as a food source.

The current method used to remove the grass in seabird habitad is to spray with glyphosphak in May. Burn dead grass in June/July (this is when the seabirds are at sea). Plant native seedings. Continue spot spraying until natives plants are established.

Our work on the island was to repot seedling and get them ready to plant after the burning of dead grass. Walking around the island our guide showed us sites that were regenerated.