Meetings on forestry biosecurity

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There were three events related to forest biosecurity in August and September 2018. They were:

  • Environment and Invasives Committee, Perth on 15 August 2018
  • Forest Health and Biosecurity R&D Workshop, Melbourne on 29-30 August 2018
  • Biosecurity for Healthy Forests Session, Canberra on 5 September.

Forest biosecurity considered by Environment and Invasives Committee

A workshop was held in Perth on 15 August 2018 to engage with the environmental biosecurity policy leaders that form part of the Environment and Invasives Committee.

The workshop aimed to:

  • outline the benefits to the environment of the National Forest Biosecurity Surveillance Strategy and Implementation Plan
  • generate discussion on how environment stakeholders may engage with forest biosecurity activities
  • determine mechanisms for collaboration between environmental biosecurity stakeholders and forest biosecurity groups.

Forest Health and Biosecurity R&D Workshop

Building on previous work done to develop the National Forest Biosecurity Surveillance Strategy and Implementation Plan, a two-day workshop was held in Melbourne on 29-30 August 2018. The workshop was a gathering of forest health and biosecurity technical expertise and stakeholders from across Australia, who discussed key R&D activities and investment necessary to protect the economic, environmental and amenity values of Australia’s forests.

Biosecurity for Healthy Forests Session

On 5 September in Canberra there was a session at the joint conference of the Institute of Foresters of Australia and Australian Forest Growers to highlight the importance and benefits of biosecurity to protect the environmental, amenity and economic values of Australia’s forests. Leading forest health and biosecurity experts covered topics including:

  • the exotic pest risks that threaten Australia’s forests
  • economic benefits of undertaking biosecurity and forest health activities
  • an explanation of methods used to improve detection and response to exotic forest pests
  • Australia’s strategic plan to implement a forest biosecurity surveillance program.

For more information about forest surveillance activities, contact Paco Tovar at ftovar@phau.com.au