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Tomorrow's weed managers enjoy a challenge

August 24, 2005

SusWal.thumb.jpgSchool students throughout the country are starting to enjoy the process of becoming the weed managers of tomorrow.

That enjoyment is coming from a new interactive computer game that challenges players to control an infestation of weeds on a farm by making a range of difficult financial and practical decisions.

The game, designed at The University of New England for the Cooperative Research Centre for Australian Weed Management (Weeds CRC), was launched at the University during National Science Week.

Called “Weed Wipeout”, the game is the first of its kind in Australia (and probably the world). Its creator, Susanna Greig, speaking at the launch on Wednesday 17 August, said students who had played the game at school had been keen to play it again at home. “This is good sign,” she said.

Anyone can now play the game at home, as it can be accessed free from the Weeds CRC’s Web site: www.weeds.crc.org.au. Ms Greig, who is based at UNE as the Educational Officer for the Weeds CRC, said that she had placed the game on the Web site at the beginning of May under the link “For schools”. In April the link had received 2,436 hits, she said, while the number for May increased to 8,523.

“I wanted to develop an educational tool that was fun for students, and that helped them to learn about weeds and weed management without realising they were learning,” Ms Greig explained.

UNE agronomist Associate Professor Brian Sindel, speaking on behalf of the Weeds CRC’s Chief Executive Officer Dr Rachael McFadyen, said that some of his university students had tried out the game. “They benefited from it, were challenged by it, and appreciated the insights they gained,” Dr Sindel said.

He emphasised the magnitude of the challenge posed by weeds for Australian agriculture. “Weeds cost the Australian economy $4 billion a year in lost production and weed-control expenses,” he said. “It’s critical to educate the general public about weeds, and the best way to do that is through the schools."

The Armidale-based agronomist Mick Duncan officially launched the computer game after explaining how “weeds affect us all”. He said they were a far greater threat than more fashionable problems such as dryland salinity.

After the launch, groups of high-school students who were visiting UNE for the University’s annual “Science in the Bush” event, tried out the game, coming to a unanimous verdict that they had actually learnt something while having fun playing it. “You have to work things out for yourself,” one of them commented.

The photograph displayed here shows Susanna Greig with UNE botanist Dr Wal Whalley and "Woody Weed" just after the official launch of the game.


Media contact: Susanna Greig on (02) 6773 2809 or Jim Scanlan (UNE Public Relations) on (02) 6773 3049.

Posted by Jim Scanlan at August 24, 2005 01:57 PM