The Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Murray Watt, officially launched the National Forest Pest Surveillance Collaboration Agreement last week.

The Collaboration Agreement outlines a partnership between the Australian Forest Products Association, PHA, DAFF, state and territory primary industry agencies, the Invasive Species Council, NRM Regions Australia and Forest and Wood Products Australia.

This combination of industry, government and the community collectively supporting a national surveillance program is unique in Australia and highlights the importance of forests to our community. Under the Collaboration Agreement Parties agree to establish, resource, and maintain exotic pest surveillance activities delivered under a National Forest Pest Surveillance Program (NFPSP).

The Collaboration Agreement has been negotiated over several years following extensive consultation with forest stakeholders and several research projects funded by Forest Wood Products Association and the Commonwealth government to understand how to best deliver surveillance for Australia’s forests.

The National Forest Pest Surveillance Program (NFPSP) is coordinated by PHA. The Program consists of traps based on visual tree inspections, conducted at high-risk locations where we expect exotic pests could enter and establish in Australia. The program will operate in all Australian States and Territories and is designed to help detect pests early so they can be contained or eradicated thus limiting their impacts on Australia’s forests.