PHA develops new partnerships to support and build biosecurity
Plant Health Australia (PHA) continues to develop new partnerships to support and build biosecurity capacity in Australia.
As part of a Commonwealth-funded project, Safeguarding Indigenous-led forestry in northern Australia, PHA has been working with forest health and Indigenous engagement specialists from the Northern Territory Department of Industry, Tourism and Trade (NT DITT), Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries (QDAF), and University of the Sunshine Coast to provide forest biosecurity training to Gumatj Corporation and Traditional Owners in East Arnhem Land and to Plantation Management Partners and Tiwi Plantations Corporation employees based on the Tiwi Islands.
Earlier this year field visits were made to the Birany homelands community in east Arnhem Land and the Tiwi Islands. Forest health and Indigenous engagement specialists presented a mixture of theory as well as practical forest health and biosecurity training sessions with Traditional Owners and forestry employees to improve their awareness of pest and diseases that could impact their forests.
Overall, the training was well received by all involved with Traditional Owners also sharing their knowledge of country and ecology with forest health experts. Another series of field visits is planned for August 2023 to continue to build relationships and forest biosecurity knowledge.